Grenfell Tower fire: Death toll increases to 79 and could rise further

Seventy-nine people are confirmed to be either dead or missing and presumed dead, and the number is expected to increase further, police have revealed.

Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy said five people had been formally identified and the rest of those missing following the blaze were “sadly” presumed dead.

He told reporters the “awful reality” was that due to the intensity of the fire and the devastation it had caused, it may not be possible to identify all the victims.

Some families have lost more than one member, he said, adding that his “heart went out to them”.

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 last week.

Mr Cundy fought back tears as he told reporters about the scene inside the 24-storey tower in north Kensington, saying it had been “incredibly emotional” working in there.

Footage from inside the gutted building, released over the weekend, shows the extent of the damage caused by the blaze.

In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire

51 show all In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire

1/51 Police have released images from inside the tower where at least 58 people have died Metropolitan Police

2/51 A still from a video shared by polices what appears to be a stationary bicycle sitting among the ashes

3/51 A still from a video shared by police shows the remnants of a burnt-out bathroom

4/51 Picture showing the lifts on an unknown floor Metropolitan Police

5/51 Emergency crews outside the front entrance to the tower Metropolitan Police

6/51 Fire crews inspecting flats in the burnt out tower London Metropolitan Police

7/51 Grenfell Tower is seen in the distance PA

8/51 A drone flies near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

9/51 'Theresa May Stay Away' message written on the messages of support at Latymer Community Church for those affected by the fire Ray Tang/REX

10/51 An aerial view of the area surrounding Grenfall tower Getty

11/51 Donated shoes sit in the Westway Sports Centre near to the site of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images

12/51 Messages of support for those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower are displayed on a well near the tower in London AP

13/51 A local resident stands on her balcony by the gutted Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road Getty Images

14/51 Messages of condolence are left at a relief centre close to the scene of the fire that broke out at Grenfell Tower, EPA

15/51 A police officer stands by a security cordon outside Latimer Road station Getty Images

16/51 Firemen examine the scorched facade of the Grenfell Tower in London on a huge ladder AP

17/51 A search dog is led through the rubble of the Grenfell Tower in London as firefighting continue to damp-down the deadly fire AP

18/51 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comforts a local resident (name not given) at St Clement's Church in west London where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower David Mirzoeff/PA

19/51 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hugs councillor Mushtaq Lasharie as he arrives at St Clement's Church in Latimer Road, where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower Getty Images

20/51 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meeting staff and volunteers at St Clementís Church in Latimer Road David Mirzoeff/PA

21/51 Firefighters with a dog walk around the base of the Grenfell Tower REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

22/51 Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images

23/51 Debris hangs from the blackened exterior of Grenfell Tower Getty Images

24/51 A woman speaks to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire

25/51 A woman holds a missing person posters near the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

26/51 Sadiq Khan speaking with a resident James Gourley/REX

27/51 Ken Livingstone walks near the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images

28/51 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is confronted by Kai Ramos, 7, near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire

29/51 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks to a woman outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Yui Mok/PA Wire

30/51 Volunteers distribute aid near Grenfell Tower Getty Images

31/51 Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA

32/51 Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA

33/51 Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA

34/51 People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images

35/51 People gather to observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images

36/51 People light candles as they observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images

37/51 People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images

38/51 A man distributes food from the back of a van near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett

39/51 A firefighter is cheered near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett

40/51 A T-shirt with a written message from the London Fire Brigade hangs from a fence near The Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

41/51 A young girl on her way to lay flowers near Grenfell Tower Getty Images

42/51 The remains of residential tower block Grenfell Tower are seen from Dixon House a nearby tower block Getty

43/51 Volunteers prepare supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block which was destroyed in a fire REUTERS/Neil Hall

44/51 Volunteers move a car to make space for a lorry picking up supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

45/51 People distribute boxes of food near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower bloc REUTERS/Paul Hackett

46/51 A woman touches a missing poster for 12-year-old Jessica Urbano on a tribute wall after laying flowers on the side of Latymer Community Church next to the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower AP

47/51 A man looks at messages written on a wall near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett

48/51 Candles and messages of condolence near where the fire broke out at Grenfell Tower EPA

49/51 Police carry a stretcher towards Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire

50/51 Emergency services at Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire

51/51 Police carry out a body from Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Rick Findler/PA Wire

“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 and recover everybody who is in there,” Mr Cundy said.

When asked whether the number was likely to increase further, he said: “Today I know there are 79 people who are either confirmed dead and have been identified, or are missing and sadly I have to presume are dead. I do think there will be some change to that number.

Footage from inside Grenfell Tower shows 'indescribable' extent of damage from fire

“The work we are doing is about trying to find those people to see if they are safe and well. Thankfully, over the last few days, we have identified five people who people believed were missing, are safe and well.”