Twelve people were confirmed dead in a massive fire that raced through a high-rise apartment building in west London early on Wednesday. According to the London Ambulance Service, 74 people are being treated, with 20 in critical condition.

Flames shot from windows all the way up the side of the 24-story Grenfell Tower in North Kensington as firefighters battled the blaze, and a plume of smoke could be seen for several kilometres.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Residents said it appeared to start in an apartment on a lower floor and spread upward quickly.

Fatalities expected to rise

London police say death toll in apartment tower fire rises to 12; fatalities expected to rise

Theresa May releases statement

British Prime Minister Theresa May she was deeply saddened by the loss of life in Grenfell Tower fire tragedy.

“The Prime Minister is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in the Grenfell Tower and is being kept constantly updated on the situation,” a spokesman said.

Ms. May has asked for a cross-government meeting, chaired by police and fire minister Nick Hurd, to coordinate the response and make sure the government is ready to help emergency services and local authorities, he added.

'Fire regulation and safety standards were met'

Rydon, the company that carried out the recent refurbishment of Grenfell on behalf of the Council last summer, said that the work had met all required building control, fire regulation and health and safety standards.

Here is the full statement released on Rydon's website:

"We are shocked to hear of the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower and our immediate thoughts are with those that have been affected by the incident, their families, relatives and friends.

Rydon completed a refurbishment of the building in the summer of 2016 for KCTMO (Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation) on behalf of the Council, which met all required building control, fire regulation and health & safety standards. We will cooperate with the relevant authorities and emergency services and fully support their enquiries into the causes of this fire at the appropriate time.

Given the ongoing nature of the incident and the tragic events overnight, it would be inappropriate for us to speculate or comment further at this stage."

Babies dropped from tower

Two eyewitnesses told the Press Association news agency they saw children dropped by their parents into the arms of people on the ground.

One said a baby was dropped from the ninth or 10th floor, another that she saw a five-year-old boy dropped from a fifth or sixth floor window.

Talks between Conservatives and DUP might get delayed

A deal between Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party and British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives could be delayed until next week, following this incident.

Fire crews have reached only till 20th floor

A structural engineer is checking the stability of the tower, the fire brigade said on Wednesday.

“We have got a structural engineer, who in conjunction with my urban search and rescue advisor, is monitoring the stability of the building,” Ms. Cotton said.

“At the moment the building continues to be safe for our crews to go and work in.”

Ms. Cotton also said crews had only reached as far as the 19th and 20th floors of the building so far.

Indian High Commission responds:

The Indian High Commission in London has released helpline numbers for any Indians affected by the fire:

Casualty Bureau 08000961233 or 02071580197

HCI Public Reponse Unit 02086295950

Fire and frenzy

This incident is likely to feed into the frenzied and heavily emotionally charged political debate going on in Britain today, bringing to the fore many issues - from the management (and fire safety regulations) of tower blocks, to issues around inequality and affordable housing in central London.

According to London poverty data gathered by the New Policy Institute Kensington and Chelsea, the borough of London in which Grenfell lies, is the most unaffordable borough in London for renting. It accounts for high rates of people being placed in temporary accommodation.

Just as the terror attacks turned attention to the cuts to police services, the tragedy at Grenfell is likely to focus attention on the London Fire Brigade, including the closure of 10 fire stations and the removal of 500 firefighters to make savings of £100 million. An independent review published in November last year called for no more cuts to be made if the Fire Brigade was to have sufficient resources to meet future challenges.

Second major blaze in West London

The Grenfell tower block fire is the second major fire to take place in West London in the past year. In August last year, homes were damaged after fire ripped through Shepherds Court, an 18 storey high residential block in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. There were no casualties.

The London Fire Brigade said it believed it was due to a faulty Whirlpool tumble dryer which was subject to “corrective action” by the manufacturer and was due to be seen by an engineer.

Our London correspondent Vidya Ram reports:

While the fire brigade has said it’s too early to say anything about the cause of the fire that has led to a number of casualties, attention has begun to focus on the state of the building, which had recently been refurbished, to a new exterior cladding system to improve insulation and its appearance.

Smoke billows as firefighters deal with a massive fire in a tower block in London on June 14, 2017. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Unable to reach people inside the building

People at the scene spoke of being unable to reach friends and family who had been inside. Others said they could see people inside using flashlights and mobile phones to try to signal for help from higher floors.

Ms. Dany Cotton called it an “unprecedented incident” unlike anything she had seen in her 29-year career as a firefighter. She said there were “a number” of fatalities.

The blaze started around 1 a.m. London time, and smoke was still pouring from the building hours later.

Flames and smoke billow as firefighters deal with a serious fire in a tower block at Latimer Road in West London, United Kingdom on June 14, 2017. | Photo Credit: Reuters

London Ambulance said that 30 patients have been taken to five hospitals in London following the Grenfell Tower fire.

London Metropolitan Police have set up an emergency number at Casualty Bureau 0800 0961 233.

Nassima Boutrig, who lives opposite the building, said she was awakened by sirens and smoke so thick that it filled her home as well.

“We saw the people screaming,” she said. “A lot of people said ‘Help, help, help.’ The fire brigade could only help downstairs. It was fire up, up, up. They couldn’t stop the fire.”

Ms. Boutrig said her friend’s brother, wife and children lived in the building and that her friend was waiting to find out if they were OK.

Others searched for information at makeshift centers set up at churches and recreation centers. At St. Clement’s Church, where evacuees from neighboring buildings gathered, Hadra Hassad was trying to find one of her closest friends, who lived on the 21st floor. Hassad says she believes one of her friend’s daughters is in the hospital, but didn’t know which one.

Ambulances and fire trucks filled the streets around the building, which is located in a diverse, working class area of London. People who live nearby were evacuated, some carrying pets in their arms as they left. Volunteers handed out bottled water.

The London Fire Brigade said 45 fire engines and 200 firefighters were called to the scene and Assistant Fire Commissioner Dan Daly said it was a large and very serious incident.

“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are working extremely hard in very difficult conditions to tackle this fire,” he said in a post on the brigade’s Facebook page.

Once the sun rose, smoke could be seen from miles away.

George Clarke, the presenter of “Amazing Spaces,” told Radio 5 Live he was covered in ash even though he was 100 meters from the scene.

Tim Downie, who lives not far away, told Britain’s Press Association that he feared the building could collapse. He said he heard sirens, helicopters and shouting and then saw the building engulfed in flames.

“It’s the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen. I just hope they have got everyone out,” he said. “People have been bringing water, clothes, anything they’ve got to help, out to the cordon.”

Timely medical help

Over 20 ambulance crews were working closely with the London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police to ensure timely medical help, the London Ambulance Service said. “Our initial priority is to assess the level and nature of injuries and ensure those in the most need are treated first and taken to hospital,” said Stuart Crigton, Assistant Director of Operations.

The Metropolitan Police announces on Twitter: “A40 is closed in both directions following the #NorthKensington fire. Pls avoid the area to allow emergency services access to the scene.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan says on Twitter: “Major incident declared at Grenfell Tower in Kensington. 40 fire engines & 200 firefighters at the scene - follow @LondonFire for updates.”

#NorthKensington tower block fire declared major incident, crews working hard at scene ©@Natalie_Oxford For updates:https://t.co/Gy6gUYc4ML pic.twitter.com/079acRjt7W — London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) June 14, 2017

(With inputs from Agencies)