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Agence France-Presse

Police say 58 people who were missing are presumed dead after the devastating fire in a London tower block, chief Stuart Cundy told reporters on Saturday.
“We’ve worked tirelessly to establish how many people we believe were in Grenfell Tower on the night and at this point in time we are unable to say that they are safe or well,” he said.
“There are 58 people who we have been told were in Grenfell Tower on the night that are missing and therefore, sadly, I have to assume that they are dead.”
He said the number of confirmed fatalities in Wednesday’s inferno remains at 30.

Cundy said 16 bodies had so far been recovered from the tower and taken to a mortuary.
Police do not expect to find any survivors inside the 24-storey concrete tower, which contained 120 flats.
On the figure of 58, he said: “I really hope it won’t, but it may increase,” and “it might be that some of those are safe and well” but for some reason had not yet made themselves known to the police.
Cladding used to make Grenfell Tower a ‘green building’ may have accelerated spread of fire
“Our focus has been on those that we know were in Grenfell Tower. However, there may be other people who were in there on the night that others were not aware were there,” he said.
“That is also an absolute priority for the investigation – to establish who they may be,” he added.
Cundy said police had now managed to get to the top of the tower and had undertaken a first visual search for victims, ahead of later painstaking searches.

“There is considerable damage within Grenfell Tower,” he said.
“We have colleagues in there as we speak, searching for and recovering those that have died.”
Cundy said the police investigation into the blaze would look at the building and its refurbishment in 2016 and vowed to prosecute people “if there is evidence”.
Blood boiling over London tower blaze, with locals heckling city mayor Sadiq Khan
“We investigate criminal matters. The investigation will identify any criminal offence that has been committed,” he said. “It will go to establish the answers of what happened in the fire and how it spread; it will look at the building itself; it will look at the refurbishment as well ... Our criminal investigation will identify any criminal offences that have been committed. Wherever we can, we will bring people to justice if there is evidence.”


58 people still missing after London tower fire are presumed dead, police say

Angry locals question London Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy during a police statement close to Grenfell Tower. Photo: EPA

epa06033402 London Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy delivers a statement to the press and local resident close to Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London, Britain, 17 June 2017. Search and Rescue efforts are continuing to sift through the burnt out remains of the tower. At least 58 people are now missing and presumed dead in the Grenfell Tower disaster, police have said. This latest figure includes the 30 already confirmed to have died in the fire.The cause of the fire is yet not known. EPA/ANDY RAIN

epa06033372 The charred remains of Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London, Britain, 17 June 2017. Search and Rescue efforts are continuing to sift through the burnt out remains of the tower. At least 58 people are now missing and presumed dead in the Grenfell Tower disaster, police have said. This latest figure includes the 30 already confirmed to have died in the fire.The cause of the fire is yet not known. EPA/ANDY RAIN

London inferno: at least 12 dead with toll expected to rise after massive fire engulfs Grenfell Tower

Local residents had warned a year ago about a potential fire risk caused by rubbish being allowed to accumulate during improvement works at the public housing apartment block

Local residents watch as Grenfell Tower is engulfed by fire on June 14, 2017 in west London. The massive fire ripped through the 27-storey apartment block in west London in the early hours of Wednesday, trapping residents inside as 200 firefighters battled the blaze. Police and fire services attempted to evacuate the concrete block and said "a number of people are being treated for a range of injuries", including at least two for smoke inhalation. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS

epa06027145 Police and rescue services operate near the fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London, Britain, 14 June 2017. According to the London Fire Brigade, 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters are working to put out the blaze. Residents in the tower were said to be evacuating and a number of people were treated for a 'range of injuries,' Metropolitan Police said. EPA/ANDY RAIN

Flames and smoke billow as firefighters deal with a serious fire in a tower block at Latimer Road in West London, Britain June 14, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville

epa06027140 People stand on a street near the fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London, Britain, 14 June 2017. According to the London Fire Brigade, 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters are working to put out the blaze. Residents in the tower were said to be evacuating and a number of people were treated for a 'range of injuries,' Metropolitan Police said. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

A resident of Grenfell Tower is trapped as smoke billows from the window after a fire engulfed the building on June 14, 2017 in west London. The massive fire ripped through the 27-storey apartment block in west London in the early hours of Wednesday, trapping residents inside as 200 firefighters battled the blaze. Police and fire services attempted to evacuate the concrete block and said "a number of people are being treated for a range of injuries", including at least two for smoke inhalation. / AFP PHOTO / DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS

Two men hug within the security cordon as Grenfell Tower is engulfed by fire on June 14, 2017 in west London. The massive fire ripped through the 27-storey apartment block in west London in the early hours of Wednesday, trapping residents inside as 200 firefighters battled the blaze. Police and fire services attempted to evacuate the concrete block and said "a number of people are being treated for a range of injuries", including at least two for smoke inhalation. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS

A resident of a nearby council estate watches smoke billowing from Grenfell Tower on June 14, 2017 in west London. The massive fire ripped through the 27-storey apartment block in west London in the early hours of Wednesday, trapping residents inside as 200 firefighters battled the blaze. Police and fire services attempted to evacuate the concrete block and said "a number of people are being treated for a range of injuries", including at least two for smoke inhalation. / AFP PHOTO / DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS

In this image made from video provided by Celeste Thomas @MAMAPIE, a building is on fire in London, Wednesday, June 14, 2017. Firefighters are battling a massive fire in an apartment high-rise in London. One side of the building appeared to be in flames. (Celeste Thomas @MAMAPIE via AP)

epa06027241 Firemen battle a huge tower block fire in west London, Britain, 14 June 2017. According to the London Fire Brigade (LFB), 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters are working to put out the blaze. Residents in the tower were evacuated and a number of people were treated for a 'range of injuries,' Metropolitan Police said. The blaze broke out at around 1:00 am GMT. An unconfirmed number of fatalities were reported in the incident, London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton said during a press conference. The cause of the fire is yet not known. EPA/ANDY RAIN

This handout image received by local resident Natalie Oxford early on June 14, 2017 shows flames and smoke coming from a 27-storey block of flats after a fire broke out in west London. The fire brigade said 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters had been called to the blaze in Grenfell Tower, which has 120 flats. / AFP PHOTO / Natalie Oxford / Natalie OXFORD / -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Natalie Oxford" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO ARCHIVES

epa06027203 A view of debris from the Grenfell Tower fire lying over a net covering a football pitch, near the apartment block in North Kensington, London, Britain, 14 June 2017. According to the London Fire Brigade (LFB), 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters are working to put out the blaze. Residents in the tower were evacuated and a number of people were treated for a 'range of injuries,' Metropolitan Police said. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

epa06027208 Firemen battle a huge tower block fire in west London, Britain, 14 June 2017. According to the London Fire Brigade (LFB), 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters are working to put out the blaze. Residents in the tower were evacuated and a number of people were treated for a 'range of injuries,' Metropolitan Police said. The blaze broke out at around 1:00 am GMT. EPA/ANDY RAIN

A person peers out of a window from a building on fire in London, Wednesday, June 14, 2017. Metropolitan Police in London say they're continuing to evacuate people from a massive apartment fire in west London. The fire has been burning for more than three hours and stretches from the second to the 27th floor of the building.(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

epa06027135 Smoke rises from the fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London, Britain, 14 June 2017. According to the London Fire Brigade, 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters are working to put out the blaze. Residents in the tower were said to be evacuating and a number of people were treated for a 'range of injuries,' Metropolitan Police said. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

epa06027129 Emergency personnel operate next to the fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London, Britain, 14 June 2017. According to the London Fire Brigade, 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters are working to put out the blaze. Residents in the tower were said to be evacuating and a number of people were treated for a 'range of injuries,' Metropolitan Police said. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

TOPSHOT - Local residents watch as Grenfell Tower is engulfed by fire on June 14, 2017 in west London. The massive fire ripped through the 27-storey apartment block in west London in the early hours of Wednesday, trapping residents inside as 200 firefighters battled the blaze. Police and fire services attempted to evacuate the concrete block and said "a number of people are being treated for a range of injuries", including at least two for smoke inhalation. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS

Smoke and flames billows from Grenfell Tower as firefighters attempt to control the blaze. Photo: AFP

Cladding used to make Grenfell Tower a ‘green building’ may have accelerated spread of fire

Extensive damage at Grenfell Tower. Photo: Reuters

epa06029929 Part of the burnt out Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London, Britain, 15 June 2017. London Fire Brigade (LFB), said it took 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters to put out the blaze that broke out at around 1:00 am GMT on 14 June, and which took more than 24 hours to bring under control. According to reports, 12 people were confirmed dead in the fire and the cause of the blaze remains unknown. EPA/ANDY RAIN

TOPSHOT - This handout image received by local resident Natalie Oxford early on June 14, 2017 shows flames and smoke coming from a 27-storey block of flats after a fire broke out in west London. The fire brigade said 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters had been called to the blaze in Grenfell Tower, which has 120 flats. / AFP PHOTO / Natalie Oxford / Natalie OXFORD / -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Natalie Oxford" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO ARCHIVES

Flames and smoke engulf Grenfell Tower, a residential block of flats in west London on June 14, 2017, as firefighters continue to control a fire that started in the early hours of the morning. At least six people were killed Wednesday when a massive fire tore through a London apartment block in the middle of the night, with witnesses reporting terrified people had leapt from the 24-storey tower. / AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS

Flames and smoke continue to engulf Grenfell Tower, a residential block of flats in west London on June 14, 2017, as firefighters continue to control a fire that started in the early hours of the morning. At least six people were killed Wednesday when a massive fire tore through a London apartment block in the middle of the night, with witnesses reporting terrified people had leapt from the 24-storey tower. The tower was built as public housing and is located in a working-class but rapidly gentrifying part of the mostly wealthy Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. / AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS

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