Grenfell Tower fire: Theresa May orders public inquiry

‍British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday promised a public inquiry into a fire that gutted a 24-story apartment block, killing at least 17 people, as the government faced questions about how such a devastating blaze could have occurred.

The death toll is likely to increase, as London’s fire chief said it is not expected there will be any more survivors.

What happened?

The fire, which reportedly started at 1:16 a.m. local time (0016GMT) on Wednesday, began on the second floor of the 24-story Grenfell Tower in North Kensington.

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Fire engulfed the social housing block, where as many as 600 people lived in more than 120 apartments. In the early hours of Wednesday, the building turned into a flaming torch in minutes.

Around 500 people were asleep when the fire ripped through after midnight.

A total of 40 fire engines and more than 200 firefighters went to tackle the blaze.

The blaze was under control by 01:14 local time (0014GMT) on Thursday, reported the BBC.

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What are eyewitnesses saying?

Anna, a witness living nearby, said that the smoke and flames starting from one side of the building quickly engulfed the whole building, and described it as “very dramatic and heartbreaking.”

According to another witness, Samira Lamrani, a desperate lady at approximately the ninth or tenth floor threw her baby wrapped in a bed sheet and blanket out of the window. Fortunately, a man ran forward and caught the baby.

Desperately trying to avoid the flames, residents threw babies and small children from high windows to people down on the sidewalk, reported AP citing witnesses.

One resident said the fire alarm did not go off – bolstering the arguments of a community group, which only months ago had warned of a potential catastrophe at the subsidized housing block.

Voluntary aid across west London

For survivors made homeless by the fire, there is help at hand from across West London’s diverse community.

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"So when a disaster like this happens, guess what? Automatically everybody turns up because we are one family," Phupinder Singh, a volunteer, said.

Others are finding the fallout of the tragedy deeply personal, as relatives and friends have added their messages to a wall of condolences.

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Tragedy raises questions about safety of buildings

London residents are calling for safer living conditions following the disaster with many worried about the possibility of another fire.

“Because our block is going to get regenerated very very soon. If they do that, then we’re going to end up just like Grenfell Tower. Instead of wasting money on sort of making us look pretty, make us safe. No, there's no fire alarms,” said one resident.

Grenfell Tower purportedly complied with government regulations. However, its fire alarms failed to sound when the fire broke out. Authorities have promised to assess the other blocks in the area.

What do we know about Grenfell Tower?

Grenfell Tower, built in 1974, contains 120 homes, according to Kensington and Chelsea Council. It had been given a facelift worth more than 10 million US dollars just a year ago. The Local Grenfell Action Group said the building had been a fire risk and access to the site may have been "severely restricted," according to the BBC.

A man living on the 17th floor told local media that there was no fire alarm in the building and that residents had long been concerned about the building's safety.

How to escape a fire in a high-rise building

· Heed the alarm. If the fire alarm sounds, do not assume it's a test or a false alarm and do not wait to see what happens.

· Protect yourself from smoke. Smoke is toxic and many caught in fires die from smoke inhalation.

· Never use the elevator. Always take the stairs to exit as elevators may malfunction during a fire.

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