May orders public inquiry into tower fire

British Prime Minister Theresa May has ordered a public inquiry into the deadly London tower block fire, saying people want answers.

British PM Theresa May has ordered a public inquiry into the deadly London tower block fire. (AAP)

British Prime Minister Theresa May has ordered a full public inquiry into the London tower block fire that killed at least 17 people early on Wednesday morning.

"Right now, people want answers and it's absolutely right and that's why I am today ordering a full public inquiry into this disaster. We need to know what happened, we need to have an explanation of this," she said on Thursday.

"People deserve answers, the inquiry will give them."

Reuters