Police have revealed that five people reported missing in the Grenfell Tower fire have been found safe and alive.
Commander Stuart Cundy announced the news in a statement, but did not reveal the identity of the survivors.
Detectives investigating the fire say 79 people are now believed to have died, however that number is expected to rise.
Of those 79, only five people have been formally identified, with damage from the fire leaving some bodies unrecognisable.
The Independent has reported that a Syrian refugee family, previously believed to be missing after the fire, had been found safe and well.
The Khadair family – two parents and their three adult daughters – moved to West London after fleeing as refugees from Syria.
They were reportedly unhurt in the fire, despite living ‘halfway up’ the tower block. It is unclear whether this is the same family of five referred to by Commander Cundy.
One of the daughters, Rawan, speaking via Facebook, confirmed that the family had survived but that their flat was burned down and all their belongings destroyed.
The family were reported missing by Catherine Lindsay, who had been tutoring them in English prior to the fatal inferno in the Notting Hill tower.
Rawan also confirmed they had been receiving aid from the community after being left homeless.
Commander Cundy was visibly emotional as he told his story of entering the 24-storey block of flats on Saturday.
He pledged to return all the bodies back to their loved ones, pending a criminal investigation which will take weeks.
“Over the last 48 hours there has been a huge amount of effort to understand as confidently as we possibly can just how many people are missing who were in Grenfell Tower that night.”
“Sadly if they are missing then I do presume they are dead.”
“It is extremely complex and when we give out numbers I want to be as accurate as we possibly can be, I do not want to cause distress to communities” Commander Cundy said.
“This is a truly awful fire, for many families they have lost more than one family member. This is an incredibly distressing time.”
He also highlighted his plan to pursue an investigation. “Grenfell Tower is being treated as a crime scene,” he said.
“We will be looking at criminal offences that were committed by individuals or any organisations.”
“I will do everything within my remit to ensure that those responsible will be brought to justice.”
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