What has been described as an "unprecedented" fire engulfed an apartment block in North Kensington in the early hours of Wednesday, (June 14).
It has been confirmed that the tragic blaze has killed at least 12 people and injured 75, 18 of which are reported as critical.
It has been estimated that around 600 residents were inside Grenfell tower block at the time the fire took hold, with numbers of fatalities are expected to rise.
Grenfell Tower Block Fire
Reporting from the scene, getwestlondon journalist, Qasim Peracha describes how he earlier witnessed "flames licking the side of the building, totally engulfing it."
Speaking from the north side of the tower, he said: "There is a lot of commotion, a lot of the locals have gathered on this side who have been evacuated.
"What is most strong is the smell, the smell of burning."
Holding two pieces of crumbling debris, Mr Peracha continues: "We have managed to get hold of some of the debris, it has fallen all over here.
"This was once someone's house and now if you look, it is just like styrofoam."
As Mr Peracha crumbles the fallen parts of the building, you can hear the polystyrene like material cracking between his hands.
For the latest updates on the fire, visit our live blog which we will be updating throughout the day .
The Metropolitan Police Casualty Bureau is open for members of the public who are concerned about relatives or friends who may have been affected the fire.
The number for the Casualty Bureau is 0800 0961 233.
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