Grenfell Tower fire: Death toll rises to 17

Seventeen people have died and more are feared dead after a huge fire destroyed a tower block in west London.

Here’s what we know so far:

The number of deaths is expected to rise again

17 people have died in the Grenfell Tower fire but the death toll is still expected to rise, Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan Police said. 

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"Sadly I can confirm that the number of people who have died is now 17. We do believe that that number will sadly increase."

Search dogs are being brought in to help find the missing

Specialist urban search and rescue teams are being brought in to make the 24-storey tower block safe to allow firefighters and the police to carry out investigations.

Search dogs will also be used to help locate the missing in the wreckage.

The London Fire Brigade rescued 65 people from the blaze.

Steve Apter, director of safety and assurance at London Fire Brigade, said firefighters had battled through “particularly arduous conditions” to reach the top floor.

Cundy said that while every floor had been accessed, the whole building had not been searched, adding: “I don’t anticipate that there will be further survivors.”

37 people are still being treated in hospital

NHS England said the patients were treated in six hospitals across London.

37 people are still being treated in hospital, with 17 in critical care, NHS England has said.

At a stage more than 70 people were hospitalised.

The fire started in the middle of the night

• 12.54am - The first of "multiple" 999 calls is made to the London Fire Brigade.
• 1am - The first fire crews arrive on the scene and were faced with a "rapidly developing and incredibly complex" fire at the 24-storey building.
• 1.16am - Police are called to the scene at the Lancaster West Estate and begin an evacuation procedure. Officers confirm "a number of people" are injured.
•  1.29am - London Ambulance Service is called to reports of the fire, sending 20 ambulance crews and a hazardous response team.
• 1.41am - Twitter user Fabio Bebber posts a picture of the fire, which had spread to the top floor, with the caption: "Fire consuming Grenfell Tower. People screaming for their lives. Horrible."
• 1.46am - A video shared on Twitter shows the fire has spread to both sides of the building as the night sky is illuminated orange.
• 2.34am - Mr Bebber posts saying he has seen someone on the top floor using a flashlight to draw attention
• 2.49am - London Fire Brigade says 200 firefighters have been called to the blaze.
•  4.43am - The sun rises in London with smoke pouring into the morning sky - witnesses speak of throwing children from the block while others reportedly tie bedsheets together to climb down.
•  6.15am - LAS say they have taken 30 patients to five hospitals.
•  7.50am - London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton confirms there have been a "number of fatalities" at the fire.
• 8.15am - LAS increases the number of patients taken to hospital to more than 50, adding 100 medics are working at the incident.
• 11.16am - Police say six people are known to have died but expect the figure to rise.
•  11.45am - LAS says 64 patients have been taken to hospital, 20 in critical care. A further 10 people have made their own way to hospital, the service adds.
• 11.59am - Construction firm Rydon, which completed a refurbishment of Grenfell Tower in 2016, says it is "shocked to hear of the devastating fire".
•  5.00pm - The death toll increases to 12 and police say the recovery operation will be "long and complex".
• 8.22pm - Prime Minister Theresa May says there will be a "proper investigation" following the fire, adding: "If there are any lessons to be learned they will be, and action will be taken."

The cause isn’t yet known

London Fire Brigade said the cause of the fire, which tore through the 24-storey building, is still being investigated.

But several residents reported one man had said it started in his faulty fridge.

There are calls for a major investigation into how this happened

Built in 1974, Grenfell Tower was recently refurbished at a cost of £8.6 million, with work completed in May last year.

It raises questions about how the fire spread so rapidly through the block.

Kensington and Chelsea Borough council admitted it had received complaints over the works.

A blog post from Grenfell Action Group in November said “only a catastrophic event” would expose the concerns residents had.

Politicians have reacted to the incident

Prime Minister Theresa May said there will be a “proper investigation” following the Grenfell Tower fire, adding: “If there are any lessons to be learned they will be, and action will be taken.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said “searching questions” need to be asked about what happened, suggesting spending cuts could have contributed to the deadly fire.

He said: “If you deny local authorities the funding they need, then there is a price that’s paid.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan had visited the scene earlier in the day and said in a statement he has been in talks with government ministers.

Locals have been donating food, clothes and money

People have been bringing bags of supplies to several locations in the area, including Rugby Portobello Centre, Latymer Community Church and the Maxilla Social Club.

A crowdfunding page has been set up to raise money for the victims, which has raised over £236,000.

A casualty bureau has been set up for anyone concerned about friends and family on 0800 0961 233.