Windows werent, and there were people in there. You could see the silhouettes. And then the next thing, explosions. The London Fire Brigade desperately struggled to reach the upper floors, but were repelled by the heat and falling debris. This is a completely unprecedented fire. In my 29 years in the London Fire Brigade, i have never seen a fire of this nature and i have seen many high rise fires. Residents are sheltering in nearby Community Centres, some are missing family members. The investigation begins into how the fire started, and how it was allowed to take hold with such devastating effect. Around 70 people are being treated in six london hospitals, 20 people are in a critical condition. The fire is still burning firefighters say it will still be some hours before its out. Well be bringing you the latest, in this extended programme. Stay with bbc news for all the developments from our correspondence. Good evening from west london where a huge fire is still burning after it engulfed this residential tower block in west london just before one oclock this morning. 12 people are known to have died, but we are being told that figure is expected to rise. Firefighters managed to get a lot of people out and almost all the building has now been searched, but the mayor of london says many are still unaccounted for. More than 70 people are being treated in six different hospitals, 20 are critically ill. Grenfell tower is part of a social housing complex of nearly 1,000 homes near the Westfield Shopping Centre in west london. Its 2a Storeys High and in it were 120 flats. Up to 600 people may have been inside when the blaze broke out. Most would have been asleep. The cause of the fire isnt yet known, but we do know the alarm was raised just before one oclock this morning. Fire crews were on the scene six minutes after being called. Our first report on the Tower Block Fire this evening is from our home editor mark easton. A warning, there are distressing images from the start of his report. Oh my god, theyre screaming. It is a tragedy that plays to our darkest fears. There was smoke everywhere. Literally everywhere. There was people downstairs, bits of cladding falling off the block. Screaming. People screaming. Oh, oh, oh. The fire started between midnight and 1am. The screams from the flats and the acrid smell of burning, waking neighbours. It was just people jumping out, literally. And putting sheets down to try to get out of the building. Windows exploding, big, massive pieces of debris falling to the floor. We came here, saw people jumping off. People had jumped off because they had no other option. How high up . The top floor. I saw people jump. Someone was on fire and he jumped too. He didnt make it. Some people picked up their children and threw them out for the police to pick them up because there was no other way out of the building. Did you see that as well . I saw kids at the window shouting, help me, help me, i cant breathe. Help me. And all these people have lost people in their lives and i know how that feels, yes. My heart goes out to them. The fire raced through the 2a Story Council block in this deprived part of North Kensington. 0n the seventh floor, this family were led to safety when a fire officer made it up to their flat. There was smoke everywhere, people screaming. There was a fireman there going, get out, get out. Iran back in in my boxer shorts, grabbed the little girl, put her under my Dressing Gown to cover her face from the smoke, got my girlfriend up, running down, got to the fourth floor and it was pitch black. This mother and her six year old son were also trapped on the seventh floor. For a moment, she thought her best option was to jump through the window with her child in her arms. For a split second, i had that temptation to jump over because the smoke was full. You actually thought about jumping from the building . And then your husband grabbed you and took you out . Yes, otherwise, my Second Thought was to jump. Many residents have complained to me that the fire alarm was too quiet to hear and that the blaze raced from the bottom to the top of the block in less than 30 minutes. All the time we have lived here, they have said if there is a fire, you have to stay there was no way that was stopping no fire. Residents told me that they had complained to the authorities that the recently refurbished building was a Disaster Waiting to happen. We try to take a lot of things to our local mp. It looks like it has been ignored. We were scared that could happen. Because if one fire happened, we knew that this would happen. Deep poverty and extraordinary wealth by side by side in this part of north london. The block was home to some of kensingtons poorest families. With dawn, grimm, is expected news, that lives have been lost. Im looking for my brother. You dont know if he is ok . Many people, numb with shock, frantically searched to find missing friends and relatives. This womans sister and 12 year old nephew were unaccounted for. My sister and her son. He is 12 years old. A 12 year old boy . As well as the smoke and the smell of burning, numb shock and tension hangs over this area. In the 21st century, in a country with some of the strictest Fire Regulations in the strictest Fire Regulations in the world, a desperate tragedy like this just should not happen. The world, a desperate tragedy like thisjust should not happen. What floor are you on . Seven . Well into the morning, the crowds watching the horror unfolding in front of them reported seeing people still trapped in the block. I saw somebody there. Waving, in white. In a white shirt . Yes. Hayman was eventually brought out by the Emergency Services at 110011. Out by the Emergency Services at noon. This off duty nurse helped tend to some of the injured rescued from the building. I have seen some things, but today. I cant even describe it. There are mothers that have come out and lost their children. There are firefighters that have come out injured. We dont know if they are even going to come out safe. People have lost their homes, children have seen things, peoplejumping homes, children have seen things, people jumping up the window. We just need to rebuild as a community 110w. Just need to rebuild as a community now. As the community realised the enormity of what had happened, people just enormity of what had happened, peoplejust did enormity of what had happened, people just did what they could. This woman went to her wardrobe, grabbed a bag of her own clothes to give to those that had none. L grabbed a bag of her own clothes to give to those that had none. A bag of clothes, jimmy, is nothing, when ican of clothes, jimmy, is nothing, when i can help somebody else. You know . This is a community where a lot of people dont have a lot. That generosity is quite something . Yes, but they are replaceable. My clothes are replaceable. We love our community. We are heartbroken for oui community. We are heartbroken for our community. This is terrible. This is a disaster for this community. But we are pulling together, the people that have nothing, we are giving things to people that have nothing. Sadly i can confirm that there are now 12 people that have died, that we know of. This will be a long and complex recovery operation. I do anticipate that the number of fatalities will, sadly, increase beyond those 12. This is a neighbourhood that feels ignored. There is anger on the streets. People are demanding a nswe is. Streets. People are demanding answers. This is your building, isnt it . We have a number of high rise buildings here and in other parts of london. We do have to meet stringent safety standards, and ina meet stringent safety standards, and in a refurbishment there will be a thorough inspection. Doesnt seem to have worked . It clearly hasnt, we will have to get the bottom of what has gone wrong. The mayor of london promised there will be a thorough and independent investigation into what happened. My thoughts and prayers, as i am sure the thoughts and prayers the entire country, with the family and friends of those in the family and friends of those in the building and affected by this and horrific fire. I would also pay tribute to the amazing Emergency Services, from the fire service, we have more than 250 firefighters, many of whom have been here since the beginning. The streets of North Kensington are littered with ashes. The Charred Ashes of homework of a school child. But the neighbourhood is also scarred by grief that will not pass for a long time. Throughout the night, stories emerged of people whod escaped the tower block and watched the fire as it swept through the building. Many are now being sheltered in nearby Community Centres. And thats where family and friends of those who are missing are also heading going from centre to centre to try to find their loved ones. Our special correspondent lucy manning has been talking to the families caught up in the tragedy. The air was punctuated with the sound of crying. Some have lost their home. Others, much, much more. They gathered outside the Community Centre. The one thing nobody could offer was good news. For this family, it was, understandably, to much. My mum, my sister, her daughters and husband. Yes. They are all still in the building. I dont know if they are out, we dont have any information. She gave us this picture of her three smiling neices. What floor were they on . The 27th. You havent been able to contact them . I phoned my sister, alli could hear was screaming. I was trying to tell her, get out, get to the nearest fire exit. I am shouting, so she can hear. The Police Officers who had me shouting on the phone. I reallyjust wanted to go in there, basically, do something. Ifelt to go in there, basically, do something. I felt helpless, to go in there, basically, do something. Ifelt helpless, standing there. A blanket, at least. People jumping at the window. In the last hour, she heard news that someone might have spoken to her family. She is hoping it is true. After the panic of the night, the day brought only silence. I havent seen my brother in law, his wife and three children. The children are aged 20, the boy is 20. A girl of 16, 17. A boy of eight years. He spoke to them as they were i said, why are you not coming . She said, they asking us to stay. She said her husband was talking to the emergency people. They said, they are coming to get us, but the heat and smoke is coming. Isaid, us, but the heat and smoke is coming. I said, get a wet blanket, but the kids on the floor and cover them and wait. She said, we cant do it, because the smoke is killing us, the smoke is coming. The spoke is coming through the doors. She is keeping covering it, but it is heavy. That was the last time we have heard from her. For those on the lower floors that did make it out, and to the centre, some relief. I woke out, and to the centre, some relief. Iwoke up out, and to the centre, some relief. I woke up at about 12. 45, hearing, help me, a woman screaming, my baby, my help me, a woman screaming, my baby, b, help me, a woman screaming, my baby, my baby, and the sounds of chaos. The police were knocking on the doors, evacuate, evacuate. Week thought we had to get the hell out of here, it is going up. Ed was saved by his friend calling him and telling him to leave. The smoke was so telling him to leave. The smoke was so thick, you couldnt see anything. I got three quarters of the way and then i was using my hands to feel against the wall. I began thinking to myself, this is going to be me, you know . Im going to die of smoke inhalation. There was actually a Fireman Lying on the ground. This fireman, he saved my life. Hejust touched my foot and led me to wear the fire exit was. He was instrumental in raising concerns about the safety of the building yea rs about the safety of the building years ago. This accident never needed to happen. If people listen to what we were saying, what the blog were saying, what members of the community were saying. Inside the community were saying. Inside the centre, Those Waiting For News 01 the centre, those waiting for news or that have lost their homes are covered downstairs in the hall. As you can imagine, it is a fairly distressing situation. At times, people are sobbing as they wait for news. News that, the stage, will possibly not be good news. It is also busy in there. They are getting help with housing, with food, and the medical help. They have no homes to go back to. Now, it is notjust the burned out building that looms over this community, but the fear that they will hear that many more of their neighbours have died. More than seventy people are being treated at six hospitals nearby. A Major Incident has been declared. A hundred medical staff, ambulance, paramedics, doctors have also been working at the scene. Our medical correspondent fergus walsh is outside St Marys Hospital in paddington with the latest. For the third time in as many months, londons medical staff have responded to a major emergency. The latest i have for you tonight is that 34 people remain in hospital. 18 of those are in a critical condition. Most suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation. The response to this fire has severely tested londons Health Care System after what was described as a challenging and complex incident. Paramedics, trauma teams, and londons air ambulance were all involved in a highly coordinated response. The key was to stabilise patients and get them to one of six hospitals where a specialist teams we re hospitals where a specialist teams were on stand by. Hospitals where a specialist teams were on standby. At saint mary s were on standby. At saint mary s we are caring for 16 patients. Three of whom are in a critical condition. At Charing Cross hospital we have four patients, none of whom are critical. We are continuing to care for patients who are primarily suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation. Inhaling smoke can damage the lungs and airways and may also cause Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Specialist burns teams we re poisoning. Specialist burns teams were on stand by but it is understood they did not treat any casualties. 12 hours after it broke out, a toxic cloud was still billowing from Grenfell Tower, leading to concerned residents handing out face masks donated by local firms. Were raw inhaling toxic substances that were used to the building that we are aware of. We are all inhaling. The building that we are aware of. We are all inhaling. Wherever you look in the surrounding area are these black, fragments. This childrens playground these black, fragments. This child rens playground is these black, fragments. This childrens playground is littered with pieces of debris which have floated down from the building and are what appear to be pieces of installation from the outside of the tower block. And you can taste the soot at the back of your throat. Is for the residents of Grenfell Tower. But there are also concerns for residents living nearby. We find it difficult to breathe. We felt like we we re difficult to breathe. We felt like we were tasting the smoke. We dont know the damage in our lungs. We have lots of vulnerable residents, elderly people, people with severe disabilities, we are concerned for them, children, as well, children under the age of five. Saint mary s and Charing Cross hospitals save democrat accident and Emergency Departments remain very busy. They have asked the public to ask Walk In Centres or their gp unless it is an emergency. centres or their gp unless it is an emergency. Say their accident and emergency. Say their accident and Emergency Departments remain very busy. Within the last hour authorities have been giving an update on the number of casualties and the firefighting operation. Ben brown was there. He joins us now from one of the police cordons. What is the latest . All of the Emergency Services were represented. They confirmed the death toll had doubled from six to 12. They say they fear it will rise further as there are still people unaccounted for. 68 people were taken to hospital. Ten took themselves to hospital. 18 are in critical care. If we can show you the state of the building. There are still parts burning. The London Fire Brigade have said that they are still trying to distinguish those fla mes still trying to distinguish those flames extinguish those flames that remain. They have a lot of work to do. They say that it is challenging inside. They have been to the top of the building, it is 24 stories high, they have been to the top floor on their search for survivors. They said that there were no survivors. But they did manage to rescue no survivors. But they did manage to rescu e over no survivors. But they did manage to rescue over 60 people. Thank you. Within just a few hours of the fire breaking out people were arriving at the shelters that have been set up hearing charges, sports and Community Centres. Been set up and Community Centres. Been set up here in churches. They were carrying food, clothes, water handing out masks to people in the street to protect them from the acrid smoke. Elaine dunkley has spent the day looking at the response of the local community. People are still arriving with bags and boxes full of food and clothing. This area of london is diverse. It is wealthy but there are also people who do not have much. There are many faiths and beliefs working alongside each other. As well as offering each other possessions, they have been offering moral support. People have been embracing each other. Residents in this commu