London's tower fire now a criminal probe

Police say an investigation into a fatal fire in west London, which engulfed a 24-storey residential block, is now being treated as criminal.

Police say an investigation into a fatal fire in west London, is now being treated as criminal. (AAP)

London Police say a criminal investigation has been launched in the wake of the fatal fire in west London.

Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy said on Thursday senior officers are leading the investigation into the fire that devastated the 24-story Grenfell Tower public housing block.

Cundy said "as the police, we investigate criminal offences. I am not sitting here and saying there are criminal offences that have been committed, that's why you do an investigation".

Political pressure is increasing following the inferno that killed at least 17 people at the apartment building in London.

Residents of Grenfell say their fears about fire safety had been ignored for years by local government authorities.

Police are still searching for an unknown number of missing people after the fire.