With Britain still reeling from the horrific terror attacks that have plagued the European country, the nation was faced with yet another tragedy on Wednesday: a massive blaze inside of a high-rise apartment building that left at least six people dead.
In addition to the number of deceased, authorities have revealed that at least 74 people were injured in the fire at Grenfell Tower. The situation inside was desperate, with one witness detailing a little baby’s remarkable rescue.
According to NBC News, people high up in the tower could be seen hanging their babies and kids outside of windows in an effort to find a way to save them from the blaze.
A witness named Samira Lamrani said that she saw one woman attempt to get the public’s attention. Then, she dropped a baby from at least the ninth floor of the flame-engulfed building.
She had wrapping the child in a thick blanket and was clearly hoping someone below would catch the child.
“Miraculously, the baby just sort of dropped in a straight line,” Lamrani said, according to NBC News. “And a guy just ran forward and the baby fell into his arms.”
The witness told the Press Association that the overall scene was chaotic, as she saw people frantically banging on windows and screaming.
“We were reassuring them, telling them we’ve done what we can and that we’ve phoned 999,” Lamrani continued. “But obviously the look on their face was death.”
The blaze seemed to shock even the most seasoned firefighters, with London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton calling it “unprecedented” and warning that the numbers of deaths and injuries could grow, NBC News reported.
“In my 29 years of being a firefighter, I have never, ever seen anything of this scale,” he said. “This is a major fire that’s affected all floors of the 24-story structure from the second floor upwards.”