This image of exhausted fire fighters catching a short break in between battling the blaze at Grenfell Tower has gone viral, as the British public praise emergency services for their mammoth efforts.
Fire fighters were called to Grenfell Tower in Shepherd’s Bush at 12.54am early on Wednesday morning. In under six minutes, the first fire engines arrived on the scene and the brave men and women within haven’t stopped trying to save lives and quash the flames since.
Their efforts were captured in footage that you can watch below:
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Despite some naysayers on social media, who have been spreading lies about the confirmed response time, the fire fighters deployed have toiled through the night and day.
More than 200 firefighters and officers attended the fire with 40 fire engines and a range of specialist vehicles being dispatched to get the fire under control.
Meanwhile, horrified onlookers praised the heroism of our emergency services:
London Ambulance Service have confirmed more than 50 people have been taken to five hospitals across the capital, and 12 people are confirmed to have died, with that toll expected to rise.
As speculation over government negligence towards the safety of residents in Grenfell Tower sweeps through social media, authorities have yet to confirm a cause and say a ‘full investigation’ is underway.
A group called the Grenfell Action Group repeatedly criticised the company that manages the tower block, Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), on its fire safety record in a series of blog posts.
The group made frequent complaints about rubbish blocking exits and in November last year one member wrote that it would take a ‘catastrophic event’ to expose the issues residents had.
If you want to help those who have lost their home and belongings, a number of JustGiving pages have been set up to raise money for those affected by the tragedy.
Anyone concerned about a missing family member of friend is advised by police to call the Casualty Bureau on 0800 0961 233.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.