LONDON — (Video below) — At least 200 firefighters were battling a huge blaze that engulfed a high-rise building in West London.
The London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service swarmed the scene of the Grenfell Tower apartment building as officers set a perimeter.
Police initially said they were working to evacuate the building before the fire spread.
Witnesses reported hearing screams from the upper floors and two witnesses said they saw people jumping from windows–this was not confirmed.
“Residents continue to be evacuated. [..] A number of people being treated for a range of injuries,” London’s Metropolitan Police Service said in a brief statement. Citizens were urged to avoid the area.
It was unclear what sparked the fire.
Images posted to social media showed the scope of the operation.
Watching Grenfell Tower (24 storeys) burning in West London Latimer road area. All floors and columns burning. @BBCBreaking @BBCRadioLondon pic.twitter.com/G7Ts9ddNrg
— Ousama Itani (@itanio) June 14, 2017
building in fire London uk pic.twitter.com/wbXOjQAktJ
— G O R A N K (@gorankrav) June 14, 2017
Fire in Grenfell Tower pic.twitter.com/VKpTPUaTXl
— EBajgora (@Ebajgora17) June 14, 2017
Ladbroke Grove in West London right now. This is the street I live on. pic.twitter.com/7W2HI1bWmq
— Jackson Harries (@JackHarries) June 14, 2017
Can only hope all are safe! Never seen anything like this before! #LadbrokeGrove #Fire pic.twitter.com/TlyYwK5Gbi
— Michael Kyriakou (@Michael_Obi) June 14, 2017
JUST IN: Statement from London ambulance service amid major high-rise fire pic.twitter.com/3oZnEHC1u5
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 14, 2017
WARNING: DISTURBING VIDEO: Screaming residents can be heard as witnesses say a person jumped from the structure in the first :09 (seconds) of the video.
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