THE Philippine Embassy in London confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, June 14, Filipinos are among those injured and affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower.
The embassy said an unidentified number of Filipinos are in the emergency shelters at St. Clement's Church, St. Francis of Assisi Church, and the Portobelio Rugby Club on Walmer.
Around 1 a.m. (London time), Wednesday, a massive fire raced through the high-rise apartment building in west London.
London's Ambulance Service says 74 people are being treated. Paul Woodrow, the head of operations, says that 20 of those patients are in critical condition. He said that the patients were being treated for a range of injuries and smoke inhalation.
The London Fire Brigade said 45 fire engines and 200 firefighters were called to the scene. 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.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Twitter that a major incident had been declared.
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.
(SunStar Philippines/With AP)