Policing and Fire Minister Nick Hurd has issued a statement in response to the ongoing incident at Grenfell Tower on the Lancaster West estate in North Kensington, West London.
London Fire Brigade has declared the fire to be a major incident and are being assisted by the Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service.
Policing and Fire Minister Nick Hurd said:
My thoughts are with the residents and families of everyone caught up in this dreadful event. London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police have confirmed there have been fatalities and I extend my condolences to their loved ones.
The search and rescue operation is still going on and I wish to commend the brave actions of firefighters and other emergency responders who arrived at the scene within minutes and have been at the scene throughout the night.
I should like to stress that this is an ongoing incident and I would urge anyone in the area to stay away from the scene and follow the directions of the emergency services.
