London police said Saturday they believed the death toll at the Grenfell Tower fire had risen to at least 58, as Britain comes to grips with what could be the worst fire in the country since World War II, Reuters reported.
“Sadly at this time, there are 58 people who we have been told were in Grenfell Tower on the night that are missing and therefore sadly I have to assume that they are dead,” a police spokesman told reporters.
Police said the death toll could change. They previously estimated the figure to be 30.
“The figure of 30 that I gave yesterday is the number that I know, sadly, have, at least, died. So that 58 would include that 30,” the spokesman said Saturday.
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The fire has been a major test for Prime Minister Theresa May, whose Conservative Party is clinging to power after losing majority control of Parliament to a Labour surge in a snap election this month.
Earlier this week, May was confronted by protesters furious over her handling of the Grenfell Tower disaster.
“At least she could’ve met the victims, [Labour leader Jeremy] Corbyn was a good man … he came and met the people,” one victim told Sky News. “He didn’t come with a bunch of police … no one even saw her.”
A top former Conservative politician and Times of London columnist blasted May over her handling of the fire, and said that she must resign.
“Wallowing in the wash of a general election that stripped our prime minister of her authority on the very eve of EU negotiations, neither common sense nor the evidence suggest she can re-establish public confidence,” Matthew Parris wrote. “This prime minister is not viable.”