London – A huge fire engulfed a 27-storey block of flats in central London on Wednesday injuring a number of people.
Massive flames licked up the sides of the block as 200 firefighters battled the blaze along with 40 fire engines. Flumes of black smoke billowed into the air.
London Fire Brigade said the fire had engulfed all floors from the second to the top of the Grenfell Tower on the Lancaster West Estate in west London.
Some people were trapped in the fire, with residents desperately shouting for help from windows on upper floors as the fire spread, some British media reported. Reuters could confirm those reports.
NEW: Massive fire engulfs 27-story residential high-rise building in London; evacuations underway, authorities say. https://t.co/Zvzp4GTnFn pic.twitter.com/thgUOtSQfV
— ABC News (@ABC) June 14, 2017
One witness described the high rise apartment building, Grenfell Tower, in #London to have "lots of families and children." #LondonFire pic.twitter.com/kmoP1DPrnS
— DeeconX (@DeeconX) June 14, 2017
Live video.. man shouting out his window for help. #londonfire https://t.co/jfj4Eo5KyN
— Matt Soldano (@MattySold) June 14, 2017
From early hours #News #GrenfellTower #LatimerRoad #WestLondon #LondonFire #ShepherdsBush
Tragedy for those families pic.twitter.com/vxjdjVoR3C
— Jonathan Kelly (@JKBartsHeart) June 14, 2017
The latest look at #londonfire of Grenfell apartment tower burning now for 4 hours. Two treated, numerous trapped. pic.twitter.com/CNgNkRK7eY
— Jeff Vaughn (@JeffVaughn) June 14, 2017
"A number of people being treated for a range of injuries," police said. "Residents continue to be evacuated from the tower block fire."
The cause of the fire, which broke out just after 0000 GMT, is not known at this stage, the Fire Brigade said.
More than 20 ambulance crews were at the scene. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said a "major incident" had been declared.