London fire: Death toll rises

London fire: Death toll rises

British police have confirmed the death toll in the London apartment block fire has risen to 17, with more fatalities expected.

Firefighters rescued 65 people from the 24 storey Grenfell Tower in the Notting Hill area of London after the fire began in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The London Fire Service say they have now searched all the floors, even while pockets of fire continued to burn.

Witnesses say they saw people trapped in their homes, while some jumped multiple storeys to try to get to safety as the fire engulfed the whole block.

Meanwhile,

The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has expressed his sorrow at the catastrophic fire that broke out in Grenfell Tower and offered prayers for all those who have been affected.

He said, I pray particularly for those who have suffered injury, those who have died, and all the residents who have are left without a home today, and the entire community that has been affected.’

The Cardinal also praised the emergency response teams, particularly fire crews who have been working tirelessly to contain and put out the blaze.

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