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London fire: Theresa May orders full inquiry, as death toll rises to 17

Around 35 appeals to find missing loved ones have been made in the press and on social media.

Updated at 3pm 

Tower block fire in London Fire service personnel inside Grenfell Tower in west London. Rick Findler Rick Findler

PRIME MINISTER THERESA May has ordered a public inquiry into the devastating London tower block fire which left at least 17 people dead.

Firefighters are still searching for bodies, and dozens have been reported missing.

“We owe that to the families, to the people who have lost loved ones and the homes in which they lived,” said May, as firefighters said parts of the council-owned building in west London had become structurally unsafe.

The prime minister said the inquiry, an official review of action by public institutions, was needed to ensure “this terrible tragedy is properly investigated”.

Seventeen people have been confirmed dead and the number is expected to rise, with Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton telling Sky News there were still “unknown numbers” of people inside.

“Tragically now we are not expecting to find anyone else alive,” she said.

The 24-storey Grenfell Tower was home to around 600 people when the fire ripped through the building before dawn yesterday.

Whole families remain missing after the fire which forced residents to flee through black smoke down the single stairwell, jump out of windows or even drop their children to safety.

Around 35 appeals to find missing loved ones have been made in the press and on social media so far.

‘Very hard questions’ 

Questions are growing about how the flames spread so quickly, engulfing the tower’s 120 apartments in what fire chiefs said was an unprecedented blaze.

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, who visited the tower today after the prime minister, said “some very hard questions must be answered” about how the fire took hold.

“We have to get to the bottom of this – the truth has got to come out and it will,” he told volunteers at a local church.

The focus of criticism centres on the cladding fitted to external walls on the 1970s concrete block as part of a €9.9 million refit completed last year.

According to the BBC, the cladding had a plastic core and was similar to that used by high-rise buildings in France, the United Arab Emirates and Australia, which had also suffered fires that spread.

Rydon, the firm responsible for the refit, said the project “met all required building regulations”.

Harley Facades, which fitted the panels, told the BBC: “At this time, we are not aware of any link between the fire and the exterior cladding to the tower.”

Tower block fire in London Rick Findler Rick Findler

‘We saw them dying’

Grenfell Tower is part of a social housing estate in north Kensington, just streets away from some of the most expensive homes in the world in Notting Hill.

The area has a large immigrant population, but many families have lived in the area for years, passing on their low-rent homes to their children.

Witnesses told how residents in the upper floors used their mobile phone torches to attract attention, before they disappeared from view, their screams of help falling silent.

“We saw them dying,” said Adi Estu, 32, who was evacuated from her home nearby.

Some people reportedly jumped from the windows, and one witness, Samira Lamrani, said she saw a woman drop a baby from the ninth or 10th floor, for the child to be caught by a man below.

The fire triggered a fresh wave of mourning in a country already battered by a string of terror attacks.

More than £480,000 had been raised online for the victims by this morning, while local community centres were inundated by donations of clothes and food.

Volunteers in Glasgow – 550km away — sent a truck laden with nappies and other supplies.

Queen Elizabeth II sent her condolences, paying tribute to the bravery of the emergency services.

“It is also heartening to see the incredible generosity of community volunteers rallying to help those affected by this terrible event,” she in a statement.

Tower block fire in London Rick Findler Rick Findler

Questions over safety measures 

Cladding has been added to a number of buildings across London in recent years, intended to provide insulation as well as improve the appearance of older buildings.

But Kostas Tsavdaridis, associate professor of structural engineering at the University of Leeds, warned: “Some materials used in facades act as significant fire loads.”

“Although theoretically they are fire resistant, in most cases they are high-temperature resistant instead of fire resistant. But even if they are, smoke and fire will spread through the joints and connections,” he said.

There were questions about why there was no sprinkler system in the Grenfell Tower which could have helped stop the fire spreading, or any central smoke alarm system that would have woken sleeping residents.

Official fire service advice for residents to stay in their homes and use towels to block out smoke, while awaiting help, has also come under scrutiny.

Firefighters were able to reach only the 12th floor of the block during the height of the blaze.

Abdelaziz El-Wahabi, his wife Faouzia and their three children were among those who followed protocol by staying in their flat on the 21st floor.

“Last time I spoke to his wife, he was on the phone to the fire brigade. I’ve not heard from them since,” his sister Hanan Wahabi told AFP yesterday morning.

David Collins, former chairman of the Grenfell Tower Residents’ Association, said the building’s management had failed to listen to residents’ calls for improvements on fire safety.

“If the same concerns were had in a wealthy part of Kensington and Chelsea they would have got resolved, but here they didn’t get resolved,” Collins told AFP.

© – AFP, 2017

Read: Trump being investigated for possible obstruction of justice

Read: London fire: Death toll rises to 12 following tower block blaze

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    Mute Clodagh Carroll
    Favourite Clodagh Carroll
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:15 AM

    Bye and thanks for the many laughs on here, Capt. Adebayo, you legend!!

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    Mute Lloyd Christmas
    Favourite Lloyd Christmas
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:54 PM

    He must have gotten himself a girlfriend and she’s off barking orders

    20
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    Mute Gaius Gracchus
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:22 AM

    Apparently Capt Adebayo Flynn has run into a bit of bother, some people aren’t happy with his decision http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO12Ba5PwMA

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    Mute Suzanne Ní Dhúil
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:41 AM

    Hilarious!!

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    Mute Jodi Steel
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:44 PM

    That’s brilliant!

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    Mute Dreana O'Gorman
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    Oct 5th 2013, 2:45 PM

    Love it! :)

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    Mute Patricia Mc Cann
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    Oct 5th 2013, 3:32 PM

    Ha ha. He will be missed.

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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:17 AM

    ADEBAAAAAAAAAYOOOOOOO
    *sniff*
    well the Capt finally got me to open that twitter account.
    long life and prosper, Capt

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    Mute Nelly
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:24 AM

    The capt had the ladies wrapped around his finger

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    Mute Niall H
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:47 AM

    He’s some character. Pity there arent more like him on here. Its all cranky b******s now :)

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    Mute Abi Dennis
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:11 PM

    I’m far more upset about Adebayo leaving than i should be…its worse than when Robbie left Take That!

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    Mute Abbi Cranky
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:32 AM

    Oh Captain, my captain?

    (Standing on chair, fist over heart, sigh)

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Oct 5th 2013, 2:19 PM

    Captain for president , let’s vote him in ….

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:41 AM

    Didn’t know the Captain had quit. Very funny guy and genuinely insightful.

    Good luck, Captain!

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    Mute Tigerisinthezoo
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:21 PM

    After all the love from the women Adebayo is likely to come back in a new twitter life as Commander Adebayo Flynn!

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    Mute Michelle Mc Loughney
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:05 PM

    Say it ain’t so captain. Say it ain’t so:( sobs.

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    Mute TheHassetthoff
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:15 PM

    So long Captain, your posts are always top quality and good craic! Call back soon!

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:24 PM

    He’s not calling back, ever.
    He’s just too strong.
    *denial, tears, anger, acceptance, pride*

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    Mute Padraig Stapleton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:53 PM

    Farewell Adebayo, you legend! A great aul character…

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    Mute Marguerite Hoiby
    Favourite Marguerite Hoiby
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:28 PM

    Why has he left?

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 3:08 PM

    So long Capt and your legacy will remain.
    Lelsie, lets ratchet it up a gear.

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    Mute Dave!
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    Oct 5th 2013, 4:27 PM

    You did good captain, consider yourself promoted to commandant.

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    Mute Tommy Hornblower
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:46 PM

    I guess it’s up to Leslie Alan Rock to shepard the flock now…

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    Mute Beep Beep
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:54 PM

    Oh god not Lesley Alan Moron, nobody wants his input

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 3:10 PM

    I disagree with you.
    I find Leslie’s posts quite good (and God knows I have had a few run in’s and don’t always agree)

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:29 PM

    Thank you michael. ..onwards and side wards I shall lead you

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:37 PM

    Let’s Rock Leslie ;-). Take no prisoners.

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    Mute Dwickedchicken
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    Oct 5th 2013, 10:50 PM

    Personally I thought “capt” was an ass hole. :)

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    Mute Shane Hickey
    Favourite Shane Hickey
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    Oct 11th 2013, 11:43 AM

    how do you quit an online forum? Surely it’s accessible from anywhere in the world (and on ISS)?

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