Children banged on closed windows as they were enveloped by the dark smoke.
"The windows were slightly ajar, a woman was gesturing that she was about to throw her baby and if somebody could catch her baby". He said he was alerted to the fire not by fire alarms but by people on the street below, shouting "don't jump, don't jump".
More than 12 hours after the fire broke out, the building was still smouldering, though the building was not in danger of collapse. Residents had complained in recent months that the management company was flouting fire safety rules, including by providing inadequate escape routes. Terrorism was not suspected.
Using FOI, the investigation found that councils had failed to fire check at least 253 social housing high-rises - something that constitutes a criminal offence.
"Across London we have many, many tower blocks and we can't have a situation where people's safety is put at risk because of bad advice being given or, if it is the case as has been alleged, of tower blocks not being properly serviced and maintained", he said.
Prime Minister Theresa May's office says the leader is "deeply saddened" by the devastating fire that engulfed a high-rise apartment block in west London.
Mr King, a former fire chief in Wales who is an adviser to the All-Party Group, first raised his concern following another tower block fire in south London in 2009, which killed six people.
Ambulance officials say 74 people were being treated in hospitals across London for a range of injuries and smoke inhalation. The building is home to about 500 people.
More than 200 firefighters worked through the night and were still finding pockets of fire inside later in the day.
Firefighters continued to search the building for survivors. "I can not confirm the number at this time due to the size and complexity of the building", London Fire Brigade chief Dany Cotton told reporters at the scene.
The chair of Parliament's Fire Safety and Rescue Group has said the Grenfell Tower fire probably wouldn't have happened if its recommendations had been acted on.
"This is an unprecedented incident", Cotton said.
"The flames, I have never seen anything like it".
Ruks Mamudu, 69, said she ran to safety down one flight of stairs to the ground floor from her apartment wearing only her purple pajamas and bathrobe. "It was horrendous", she said. "I'm hoping it was into someone's arms". I think he was anglo. "It was all up in flames", he said. "I know they didn't make it". "The building needed to be brought up to date with new kitchens and new heating systems", he said, adding that safety certificates had been issued and the council had been "told it had all been brought up to date".
One of those housing ministers was Gavin Barwell, who promised that the government still meant to review part B of the housing rules - which deals with fire safety - but did not give a firm date.
Voters have 'golden opportunity' to end austerity, Nicola Sturgeon says
Scotland's First Minister was also quizzed over her falling personal approval rating, which are the lowest they have been. Both parties have ruled out a formal coalition deal should the election on 8 June not produce a clear victor .
Actor and writer Tim Downie, who lives nearby, said: "It's horrendous". "We literally watched a man burn to death in his flat", she told CNN.
'The whole one side of the building was on fire.
"It went like that", he said, snapping his fingers. "I just think after everything that's been going on people need to stick together, and this shows people are willing to help each other". Nassima Boutrig, who lives opposite the building, said she was awakened by sirens and smoke so thick that it filled her home as well.
He said he had spoken to the wife at 1:45 a.m. and that she was still in their apartment on the 21st floor.
"I personally had someone come round and threaten me at my own door, so that was the conditions we were dealing with, and they didn't listen to our concerns". "It had completely spread within half an hour". You could hear people screaming.
About 100 people - residents, anxious family members and onlookers - stood outside the nearby Rugby Portobello community center.
Neighbors streamed into the center with food. Volunteers handed out bottled water.
Cordons are in place and it is advised that the estate and surrounding area is avoided. It's just a short walk from Kensington Palace.
Local resident Ness Davis said a close friend of hers had been trapped inside in the building.
A firefighter checks damage after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower, in west London, Wednesday June 14, 2017.
On Wednesday morning, the Grenfell Action Group's website was updated, with a post on the fire. "We lost everything. Everything in the house is gone", he said.
Two eyewitnesses told the Press Association news agency they saw children dropped by their parents into the arms of people on the ground.
Residents claimed the fire spread on the exterior of the tower, which had been covered in cladding in a major refurbishment completed previous year. The firm said it would cooperate with investigators.
Sunderland student Nath Brown, who has started a fund-raising campaign for victims of the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy.
."They wouldn't believe the residents were concerned".
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