London - Grenfell Tower on fire

The tower block in the west of the city was affected by a massive blaze that has led to an yet “unknown number of casualties”.

 

A massive blaze started out in the block on the Lancaster West Estate, in north Kensington around 1.00 a.m. Firefighters immediately rushed to the scene of the incident.

Many residents of the building are still reported “missing”, as more than 600 people were inside the 120 apartments of the Grenfell Tower when the fire started. More than 30 people were rushed to the hospital, after managing to safely escape the blaze.

The nearby A40 Westway was closed in both directions, between Northern Roundabout (White City) and Marylebone. Surprisingly, the Westfield Shopping Centre in the area is still open, as its representatives help people that lost their flats seek for accommodation and food. The center offers free hotel rooms and Jamie Oliver's restaurant serves free meals for the victims.

The entire Lancaster West estate, including the affected building, was evacuated by the police, as officials have announced that the tower can collapse anytime now.

The Londoneze underground transport was also affected by the blaze,with the Hammersmith & City line closed until Edgware Road station and general minor delays on other subway lines. Buses with West London routes, on the other hand, are currently suffering major delays.

More details on the incident's causes are expected to be released by the local authorities.