Malacañang yesterday confirmed that there were Filipinos wounded when a fire hit the Grenfell Tower in London, England which reportedly caused the death of 12 people.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, citing updates from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), said there are a still unspecified number of Filipinos injured from the conflagration.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Philippine Embassy in London, confirmed that some Filipinos are among those injured by the fire in Grenfell Tower,” Abella said. “The Embassy’s closely monitoring the situation and is ready to provide assistance to all Filipino fire victims,” he added.
Abella also extended condolences to the families of those who were killed in the said fire which engulfed the 24-story building on around 1 a.m. Wednesday (London time).
According to DFA Spokesperson Robespierre Bolivar, the agency is yet to determine the exact number of Filipinos affected by the fire as London is also yet to deliver updates.
The DFA, citing updates from the Philippine Embassy in London, said there were Filipinos taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries sustained from the conflagration.
London authorities earlier confirmed 12 fatalities but said the death toll will most likely rise.
More than 200 firefighters were reported to have responded to the scene while authorities are yet to determine the cause of the fire. Multiple media outlets, on the other hand, have reported the fire was possibly caused by a faulty appliance.
According to Consul General Senen Mangalile, there are around 5,000 Filipinos in the Royal Borough of Kensington where the Grenfell Tower is located. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos and Roy C. Mabasa)