London fire: at least 30 confirmed dead, more than 50 missing

At least 30 people have died in the Grenfell Tower fire, police in London said.

The search for the bodies of those killed in the Grenfell Tower inferno resumed on Friday amid fears the death toll could continue to rise, with at least 57 people still unaccounted for.

Police fear the fire was so devastating that some victims may never be identified.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 3

Undated handout photo issued courtesy of Declan Wilkes of the inside of the Grenfell Tower. Photograph: PA

The death toll rose from 17 to 30 on Friday.

London fire: harrowing stories of victims and families emerge

---

At least 70, including entire families, missing after London fire

---

Chinese police say kindergarten blast that killed eight was a ‘criminal act’

---

US sceptical about Russian claim to have killed Isis leader

---

Metropolitan Police commander Stuart Cundy responded to speculation that the number of dead could exceed 100, saying: "For those of us that have been down there, it's pretty emotional, so I hope it is not triple figures, but I can't be drawn on the numbers."

Asked by a seven-year-old boy at the scene "How many children died?", mayor of London Sadiq Khan replied: "The bad news, I'm afraid, is lots of people died in the fire."

On Friday fire crews again used water to damp down the charred building as they began a third day of picking through the tower’s charred remains.

Teams were forced to leave the building on Thursday afternoon when the fire restarted, delaying further the efforts to reach upper floors, where some victims are thought to have been trapped.

The streets around the high rise block in north Kensington are plastered with posters begging for information about those who were in the building.

More appeals were put up overnight on Thursday as relatives became increasingly distraught about their loved ones.

A criminal investigation led by a senior detective from Scotland Yard’s homicide and major crime command is under way with calls for “corporate manslaughter” arrests to be made.

Pictures showing the charred insides of a flat in the tower block reveal blackened appliances lined up against the wall while charred possessions are scattered across the floor.

Meanwhile, experts have said sprinklers could have been fitted in the tower for £200,000 (€228,556), but Nick Paget-Brown, the Tory leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said there was not a "collective view" among residents in favour of installing them.

On Friday, protesters outside the council headquarters tried to storm the building. Hundreds of people, gathered outside the town hall, said they wanted answers over the disaster.

Scores of protesters later surged towards the building’s entrance, apparently trying to get in. But they were soon called back away from the foyer by one of the organisers, who urged them to remain calm.

One of the first victims of the fire was named as 23-year-old Syrian refugee Mohammed Alhajali, with the Syria Solidarity Campaign director Kareen El Beyrouty launching a campaign towards funeral costs.

The appeal said: “Mohammed Alhajali undertook a dangerous journey to flee war in Syria, only to meet death here in the UK, in his own home.

“His dream was to be able to go back home one day and rebuild Syria.”

British prime Minister Theresa May, who has faced criticism for failing to meet survivors when she visited the scene on Thursday, has ordered a full public inquiry into the disaster in response to mounting anger that the fire might have been preventable.

Mr Khan has demanded an interim report to be published this summer and for the inquiry to examine whether the block was refurbished safely.

More than £1 million has been raised to help those affected by the fire, with more than 60 tonnes of donations collected by one local mosque.

The latest figures from NHS England show that 24 people are still being treated in hospitals across London, of whom 12 remain in critical care.

A public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire should be split into two parts to give families answers more quickly, a former housing minister has suggested.

Mark Prisk said an inquiry was needed to ensure "that we have the evidence on this issue". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Prisk recommended the first part of the inquiry take place over the summer and "perhaps into the early autumn".

He said he wanted it to make sure “we know what caused this fire and indeed who is responsible, then we need to look at the broader question … what implications does that have for other buildings?”

“Inspections can take place whilst an inquiry is in hand and they should and I think ministers are doing that, but I think we need to have a full public inquiry because at the moment we’re all speculating.” He told the programme the fire could have “much wider implications”, and said: “I think that’s why I want to see a two part inquiry, one looking at what are the specifics in this instance, but not too long so that families aren’t left hanging out, wanting to know what’s actually happened, then looking at the wider implications for the rest of the building stock.”

“We need to be willing to address the picture in the round and not just say this is an isolated incident, if the evidence shows there are wider implications we need to face up to that.”

Ms May announced on Thursday that there would be a public inquiry into the fire and promised that those left homeless will be re-housed nearby.

PA