How you can help those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire in west London

A huge fire engulfed a tower block in west London in the early hours of this morning.

The London Fire Brigade was called to Grenfell Tower on Latimer Road at 12.54am – they announced there have been some fatalities but have not confirmed how many. The London Ambulance Service said that more than 50 people have been taken to five London hospitals.

In a statement, the London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton said: 

‘This is an unprecedented situation, with a major fire that has affected all floors of this 24-storey building, from the second floor up.

‘Over 200 firefighters and officers are attending this incident, with 40 fire engines and a range of other specialist vehicles, including 14 fire rescue units in attendance.’

She added: ‘At this time I am sad to confirm that we now know that there have been fatalities. I cannot confirm the number at this time and as you will appreciate with a fire of this size, affecting such a large building, it would be unhelpful of me to speculate further.’

There are a number of ways you can help those affected by the fire. You can donate clothes, food and any other useful supplies at these places:

Harrow Club, 187 Freston Rd, W10 6TH
Rugby Portobello Trust, 221 Walmer Rd, W11 4EY
St Clements Church, 95 Sirdar Rd, W11 4EQ

Or you can help raise funds for residents through various crowdfunding campaigns. Just Giving has confirmed that these campaigns are all verified, so you can be sure your money will go to help those in need. 

UPDATE: The Met Police have now confirmed 17 fatalities and they expect the figure to rise.

You can find a full list of ways to help and places you can donate here.

The Met Police have established a helpline for those concerned about loved ones. You can contact the Casualty Bureau on 0800 0961 233.

This story is being updated but you can follow @MetPoliceUK on Twitter for updates or check this page from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's website.