Tower 27 in London suddenly engulfed in flames

A 27-story apartment tower in London, England, caught fire early this morning, with many people feared still trapped inside.

The fire broke out at the 27-storey Grenfell Tower in White City, London, early this morning, according to the Guardian. The fire department received the first call at 1:16 am and deployed about 200 firefighters and 50 fire engines to respond.

Video posted on social media showed the building engulfed in flames. Firefighters said the fire started on the 26th floor. “Two people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation,” police said.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

London Fire Brigade confirmed it was a "major and very serious incident" and they were responding to very difficult conditions.

Celeste Thomas, who lives near Grenfell Tower, has been keeping up to date on the situation on Twitter. She described how firefighters struggled to contain the blaze. She saw debris falling and heard crashing sounds inside the tower.

"Hundreds" of people gathered outside the tower, including residents of the building and families looking for loved ones. Police tried to move the crowd away so ambulances could get close.

The fire has spread to most floors. Photo: Twitter

"I was in the kitchen when I heard the fire alarm," witness Reo, who lives about 300 metres from the tower, told Sky News. "I could see the whole right side of the building on fire."

Grenfell Tower was built in the 1970s. According to property website RightMove, the average rent at Grenfell is around $2,500 a month.

Location of Grenfell Tower, London. Graphics: CNN.

According to VNE