Sunderland student stats £100k fund-raiser for London flat fire victims

Six people have been declared dead after fire ripped through the London tower block in the early hours of Wednesday, while 50 have been taken to hospital.

Flames tore up the 24-storey tower in north Kensington, leaving people trapped on upper floors, including children, some holding babies from windows and others jumping from their flats.

Grenfell Tower was built in 1974 and contains 120 flats thought to be home to between 400 and 600 people.

The building was refurbished recently at a cost of £8.6 million, with work completed in May last year.

London Fire Brigade said the cause of the fire was still being investigated, but several residents reported one man had said it started in his faulty fridge.

Kind-hearted Sunderland University student Nath Brown, 19, woke up this morning to see the devastation unfolding and has created a fund-raising drive on the JustGiving site.

“I woke up and looked at my phone when I saw what had happened,” said Nath, who is from Ryhope but currently living at student accommodation Clanny House, in Pallion.

“My first though was ‘how would I feel if I was in my room and the place caught fire and I lost everything’.

“Hopefully we will get help to those families involved so that they can have a chance of rebuilding their lives.

“I’ve heard that there are places where families who lived in the flats can go, but I’d like the fund to go long-term so that it can fund essentials such as furniture when these people moved into new places.”

Those wanting to donate to help those affected by the tragedy should visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/grenfelltoweblock.