Police expect death toll to continue to rise in London tower fire

At least 58 people who were in London’s Grenfell Tower at the time of the apartment tower fire Wednesday morning are missing and presumed dead, according to London police. Police Commander Stuart Cundy said Saturday the number was based on reports from the public and would likely rise in the weeks ahead. The search for remains, which stopped for a time because of safety concerns, resumed Saturday, with emergency workers reaching the top of the 24-story public-housing building. Cundy promised a major investigation into the cause of the fire, saying, “My heart goes out to those affected.” The National Health Service reports that 19 patients continue to receive treatment at four London hospitals, with 10 in critical condition. Public anger and protests over the government response to the tragedy continue, with Londoners demanding answers about how the fire spread so quickly. Workers renovated the building recently, and its exterior paneling may have helped fuel the blaze.

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