Leon Watson
15 JUNE 2017 • 9:55AM
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There are still "unknown numbers" of bodies in Grenfell Tower following the devastating inferno, London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton has said.
At least 12 people died after the huge fire destroyed the block in north Kensington, west London, where flames could still be seen burning more than a day on from the disaster.
The commissioner told Sky News: "Tragically now we are not expecting to find anyone else alive. The severity and the heat of the fire would mean it is an absolute miracle for anyone to be left alive."
She said there are still "unknown numbers" of people in the building.
Ms Cotton said the upper floors of the building are still to be searched.
"Sadly we do anticipate the death toll will rise - we haven't done our searches of the top floors yet," she told reporters at the scene.
Watch: Facebook live video from inside blazing tower
01:51
More than £1 million has been raised to help those affected as fire tore through the 24-storey building while volunteers and charities helped feed and shelter people who could not return to their homes overnight.
A wall of condolence was put up near the scene with photographs showing dozens of messages left for loved ones.
Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to visit the scene of the tragedy later on Thursday to speak with emergency services and ensure that they have the resources they need to deal with the situation.
She has promised a "proper investigation" after the building went up in flames early on Wednesday morning amid growing concerns about how the fire could have spread so rapidly.
Residents' groups have claimed they voiced concerns about the safety of the building, which had been recently refurbished, while those who escaped complained their fire alarms had not been set off by the blaze.
One focus for the investigation will be the building's cladding, which TV architect George Clarke said may have accelerated the blaze.
Mr Clarke, who lives locally and appears on Channel 4's Amazing Spaces, told BBC's Newsnight: " I saw those cladding panels, the cladding on the outside and the insulation was just peeling off, like you'd peel a banana.
Huge plumes of smoke pour from Grenfell Tower as the blaze rages
Huge plumes of smoke pour from Grenfell Tower as the blaze rages CREDIT: JEREMY SELWYN/EYEVINE
"It was fully on fire. I could see the flames behind - there's a new cladding system put on the outsides that looks like a new skin, there's an air gap an insulation behind that, to me that looks like a fantastic chimney for the fire to rage around."
Grenfell Tower, which built in 1974, was recently refurbished at a cost of £8.6 million, with work completed in May last year.
Kensington and Chelsea Council admitted it had received complaints over the works, after a residents' action group said its warnings about safety had fallen on "deaf ears".
Watch live: Fire engulfs tower block in West London
A blog post from Grenfell Action Group in November said "only a catastrophic event" would expose the concerns residents had.
The group said there was one entry and exit to the tower during improvement works and it had issues with evacuation procedures.
Concerns had also been raised about exposed gas pipes weeks before the devastating blaze.
Rydon, the firm that carried out the refurbishment work, said the project "met all required building regulations", in its latest statement following the fire.
But a line stating that the project had met all "fire regulation and health and safety standards", which was included in an earlier release, had disappeared.
When questioned about residents' worries about fire safety at the block, the council's deputy leader Rock Feilding-Mellen told the BBC: "My understanding is that their concerns were looked at and officers and the TMO (tenant management organisation) made inquiries and felt we had done what was necessary."
Smoke continues to pour from the upper floors of Grenfell TowerSmoke tower
Smoke continues to pour from the upper floors of Grenfell Tower CREDIT: PAUL GROVER FOR THE TELEGRAPH
Meanwhile, work is continuing to tackle "pockets of fire" in the block, with the operation now in the "recovery phase" while many people are still unaccounted for.
Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan Police said: "This is going to be a long and complex recovery operation and I do anticipate that the number of fatalities will sadly increase beyond those 12."
Witnesses described hearing screams for help from people trapped on the upper floors of the block as flames engulfed the building, which contains 120 flats thought to be home to between 400 and 600 people.
Children and a baby were seen being thrown out of the windows to be caught by emergency workers and members of the public below.
London Fire Brigade said it had rescued 65 people as flames engulfed the block, and had managed to reach all 24 floors, though a full search of the building has not been completed.
NHS England said 74 patients were treated in six hospitals across London. Thirty-four remain in hospital including 18 who are in critical care.
Source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/15/london-fire-latest-death-toll-set-rise-amid-grim-search-grenfell/
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