It has now been confirmed that 30 people have died in the horrific Grenfell Tower fire that took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The Met Police Commander, Stuart Cundy, said that "at least" 30 people perished in the tower block fire. In a new statement released on Friday, he said: "At this point in time we know that at least 30 people have died as a result of this fire. Sadly and tragically that includes one person who was taken to hospital and despite the very best medical care from the NHS has now sadly died. Twelve were taken to the mortuary, and a number of those bodies sadly still remain here in Grenfell Tower."
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30 people have been confirmed dead
Speaking about recovering victims from the tower, he continued: "The conditions inside Grenfell Tower mean that the search and recovery operation to find and recover the victims is extremely challenging. The upper floors of the block are particularly hazardous due to the damage caused by the fire. The sad reality is that this work will take some time, stretching into many, many weeks. We have specialist teams from the Police, London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service working closely together to do this as safely yet as swiftly as possible… We are determined to provide those families with detailed answers about the tragedy that has taken their loved ones from them and affected many others for the rest of their lives."
READ: London fire: Six people confirmed dead in Grenfell Tower inferno
The public has rallied together to help
The Queen was among those to visit the site of the fire to offer her support. Accompanied by her grandson, Prince William, the monarch met with residents and volunteers on Friday. In an earlier statement, she said: "My thoughts and prayers are with those families who have lost loved ones in the Grenfell Tower fire and the many people who are still critically ill in hospital. Prince Philip and I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of firefighters and other emergency services officers who put their own lives at risk to save others. It is also heartening to see the incredible generosity of community volunteers rallying to help those affected by this terrible event."
