The reports are horrific.

 

Almost 200 firefighters battled to control the flames after a fire engulfed a London tower block overnight. Fifty people are being treated in hospitals across the city, 20 of them classified as 'critical' and there are reports of at least six fatalities.

 

Some eyewitnesses claimed that they saw terrified parents throwing their children from windows in a bid to save their lives. 

 

And amid the din, members of an action group at the Grenfell Towers now say they had warned about alleged safety issues in the residence as recently as last November. 

 

On a residents blog, concerned families wrote that they believed the building posed a fire risk and that "only a catastrophic event will expose" the issues. 

 

This morning, the group posted on their websites that "we predicted that a catastrophe like this was inevitable and just a matter of time". 

 

They described their concerns as falling on "deaf ears".

 

It said that residents had been advised by safety notices to stay in their flats in case of a fire. 

 

 

The Independent.co.uk reported that a witness said the advice had been to wait in residences for up to an hour in case of fire.

 

Mickey Paramasivan, who was in his seventh floor flat with his partner and child, ignored that advice and fled with his family. He believes that he "would have perished" if he had not done so.

 

The owner of the tower is Kensington and Chelsea Tenants Management Organisation (KCTMO). It's Chief Executive, Robert Black issued this statement this afternoon:

 

"The fire at Grenfell Tower is devastating and the reports of injury and losses of life absolutely heartbreaking. Along with my colleagues, I have been supporting residents since the early hours, working with the emergency services and the community. 

Currently, we're focussing on helping those residents and London Fire Brigade is investigating the safety of the tower's structure but we will issue a further statement in due course."

 

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this awful tragedy. 

 

Images via Twitter

 

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