London Tower Fire- 58 Missing, Presumed Dead

in #london7 years ago (edited)

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London police release images from inside Grenfell Tower following last week's devastating fire, as a police chief says conditions inside verged on the "indescribable" and warned the death toll would rise further.

Photos and videos published by the Metropolitan Police show the gutted wreckage of apartments within the 24-storey tower block after Wednesday's fire.

With blackened rubble strewn across the floor and exposed pipes, one room is unrecognisable as a home until a bath and sink come into view - the dividing wall destroyed completely by the fire.

The remnants of an exercise bike, an oven and washing machine point to the lives of residents now shattered by the blaze.

"The conditions due to the fire damage verge on indescribable," said police commander Stuart Cundy, explaining that a full search of the building will take weeks.

"We must also prepare people for the terrible reality that some people may not be identified due to the intensity of the fire," he added.

Tower
In this photo released by the Metropolitan Police on Sunday, June 18, 2017, a view of an apartment in the Grenfell Tower.

So far 58 people are presumed dead, although Cundy said this would rise again ahead of new figures being released on Monday.

"Sadly that work leads me to believe that the number of people missing, but as yet unaccounted for has risen from yesterday's figure of 58," he said, following further work to trace missing people.

The images released by police were taken by a recovery team inside flats where everyone inside has been accounted for.

Growing public anger
The deadly fire in the social housing block has led to growing public anger.

Attending a church service near the building to remember victims, London mayor Sadiq Khan admitted the local community was frustrated at the official response to the disaster.

"There is a feeling from the community that they've been treated badly because some of them are poor," Khan said on Sunday.

The tragedy was a "preventable accident that didn't need to happen and the tragedy we're seeing is because of the consequences of mistakes and neglect from the politicians, the council and the government".

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