Grenfell Tower death toll rises to 79 as search for victims continues

Staff reporter(wp/es):
At least 79 people are now presumed dead following the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower, police said as the search to recover victims continues.

In the latest update on Monday morning, Met Commander Stuart Cundy said officers have now established that the figure of those presumed dead or missing has risen.

All 24 floors of the tower block have now been searched after the recovery operation was paused on Friday over fears for emergency workers’ safety in the building.

Mr Cundy said five people had been formally identified, and that the rest were "sadly" missing presumed dead.

He told reporters the "awful reality" was that it might not be possible to identify all the victims. Some families have lost more than one member, he added.

The announcement came ahead of a minute's silence held at 11am across all Government buildings to remember the people who lost their lives and all those affected by the fire in north Kensington last week.

Speaking outside Scotland Yard, Mr Cundy said: “As of this morning, I am afraid to say that there are now 79 people that we believe are either dead or missing, and I sadly have to presume are dead."

Mr Cundy said the death toll may still change, but not as significantly as it has in recent days.

Five people who had been reported missing after the disaster have been found safe and well, he added.

Fighting back tears, he said it had been "incredibly emotional" working at the scene, adding: "On Saturday I went in myself and went to the top floor. It is incredibly hard to describe the devastation in some parts of that building."

He said: "I have investigated major crime for most of my service and I have seen some terrible things. But I don't think anything prepared me for what I was going to see when I was in there.

"It's hard to describe my feelings, because I cannot imagine, and I would not want to put myself in the position of those families who have lost their loved ones.

"But being with colleagues from the London Fire Brigade when I was in there, colleagues from the London Ambulance Service and other police officers, I think it's fair to say it is incredibly emotional working in there.

"But we will do it with our utmost professionalism and we will do everything we can as quickly as we can to locate everybody who is in there."