Questions from angry survivors, community over London fire

British prime minister Theresa May has announced a public inquiry into the cause of a deadly fire at a London high-rise apartment block that killed at least 17 people.

Messages of condolence left near the site of the London fire Source: AAP

With the 24-storey Grenfell tower in west London still smouldering, questions are now being asked about how the fire spread and killed so many.

Hundreds of people were inside the building when the fire started shortly before 1am on Wednesday, London time.

When it eventually flamed out of control, many on the higher floors wound up deciding to jump, rather than face the flames.

Some parts of the structure remain unsafe for firefighters to enter, and officials say some of the victims may never be identified.

The first victim identified was a 23-year-old Syrian refugee living with his brother, Mohammed Alhaj Ali.