Dramatic pictures of London's massive highrise fire

Dozens of firefighters remain on the scene Wednesday of a massive fire that swept through a highrise apartment building in west London, England.

Battling the blaze

At least 30people are confirmed dead and74 were taken to hospital as 200 firefighters battled the blaze at the 24-storey building in the U.K. capital.

Smoke stretched for kilometres

Flames could be seen shooting from windows in the Grenfell Tower in North Kensingtonandplumes of smoke stretched for kilometresover the capital.

An unprecedented incident

"This is an unprecedented incident," Dany Cotton, commissioner of the London fire department, told reporters."In my 29 years of being a firefighter, I have never, ever seen anything of this scale."

Cotton couldn't confirm the total number of deaths because of the size and complexity of the building.

Cotton told a news conference that some firefighters sustained minor injuries and the fire brigade will likely be on the scene for 24 hours.

Protective face masks were provided to people nearGrenfell Tower.

Ambulances and fire trucks filled the streets around the building located in a diverse, working-class area of London. Nearby residents, some carrying pets,were also forced out of their homes.Others searched for information at makeshift evacuation centresset up at churches and recreation centres.

A wall of tributes and messages of condolences for the victims sits on the side of a community centre near to the site of the Grenfell Tower.