A tower block fire in west London, less than a mile (1.6km) from Grenfell Tower, was started by an electric bike battery malfunctioning as it charged.
Resident Liiban Shakat feared he was "going to die" when his friend woke him and led him to a guest bedroom engulfed in flames on the 12th floor.
He described how his friend's "mouth was black because he inhaled so much smoke" and needed hospital treatment.
About 60 firefighters were sent to the Shepherd's Bush fire at 09:23 BST.
London Ambulance Service confirmed paramedics assessed two more people at the scene in Queensdale Crescent.
The scorched windows of Mr Shakat's home at the Stebbing House flats, less than a mile (1.6km) from Grenfell Tower where a fire claimed 72 lives in 2017, can clearly be seen.
Mr Shakat, 38, said the fire started in his guest bedroom where his friend, who was staying for several days, had been charging an e-bike battery.
Speaking to reporters outside the building and still wearing his macawis, a traditional Somali style of pyjamas, he said: "[My friend] was in the room that caught on fire. He was in the bed. His mouth was black because he inhaled so much smoke."
The friend woke Mr Shakat and led him to the fire and, half-awake, he rushed to pour a bucket of water over the burning debris, which Mr Shakat said had made the fire worse.
"Something was coming from the bike, smoke, so he unplugged it. Now the debris, the plastic, the fire caught the whole place, the windows the bed," Mr Shakat, who had lived in the building for 20 years, said through a translator.
We were called at 9.45am to reports of a fire at a block of flats on Queensdale Crescent.
We sent resources to the scene, including two ambulances and our Hazardous Area Response Team.
Two patients were assessed at the scene and another was treated and taken to hospital. https://t.co/IlD8ml0DC7
— London Ambulance Service 💙 (@Ldn_Ambulance) June 21, 2022
He ran to try and escape the building and alert his neighbours by knocking on nearby doors on the 12th floor, and at least 30 residents fled the building as plumes of black smoke were seen billowing out of windows.
Mr Shakat claimed no fire alarm had sounded but a spokesman for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF), which manages the building, said the fire alarm in his flat definitely did work but Mr Shakat did not hear it because he was outside the building.
The spokesman added the flats had all been fitted with the "highest-rated fire doors on the market" and "compartmentalisation worked" in keeping the fire contained to one flat.
The block contains 180 flats, he added, and there were six residents with Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (Peeps) who were helped to safety by firefighters.
Jonathan Stone, the council's building safety manager, said fire safety measures taken by the local authorities had "prevented another Grenfell".
An LFB spokesman said 30 residents had left the block before LFB arrived, but added "generally" it was "safer to remain in your flat" because "we don't want people necessarily going into smoke-filed corridors".
Station commander David Bracewell, who was at the scene, said: "Three people from the affected flat left before the brigade arrived. A number of other residents evacuated the building. Firefighters led six residents to safety via an internal staircase."
An LFB spokesperson said the fire was under control by 11:00.
Kensington MP Felicity Buchan tweeted: "Very concerning to hear about the high rise fire at Queensdale Crescent in Shepherds Bush."
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Ian Blackford has issued an apology saying he "deeply regrets" a party worker being sexual harassed by an SNP MP.
The SNP Westminster leader has faced calls to resign after an audio recording revealed he urged Nationalist MPs to rally around Patrick Grady who was found guilty by Commons authorities.
Grady, MP for Glasgow North, made an “unwanted sexual advance” towards a staff member, then aged 19, in 2016.
In the audio clip Blackford could be heard saying Grady “is going to face a number of challenges over the short term and so he should have our absolute full support”.
In a statement released today Blackford said "staff must have full confidence that the group takes complaints seriously".
It comes after opposition parties and SNP MP Joanna Cherry hit out at the party over how it handles claims of sexual misconduct.
Grady was suspended from the Commons for two days last week and made a public apology after a complaint of sexual harassment by a young SNP staffer was upheld.
Blackford said: "As SNP Westminster leader, I have a duty of care to all of our staff. That is why I deeply regret that a member of staff was subject to inappropriate behaviour.
"It was completely unacceptable and should never have happened. I am sorry that it did.
"Staff must have full confidence that the group takes complaints seriously. In this case, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme investigated what happened. We respect and accept that independent process.
"More than that, however, staff have a right to feel fully supported when a complaint is made. I regret that the complainant does not feel that this is the case.
"The way that this situation has played out publicly over the last few days, including recordings from the parliamentary group, has caused distress to the complainant amongst others and I am sorry that is the case.
"We will consider all lessons that must be learned to make sure staff have full confidence they will receive the support they need.
"As such, I am initiating an external review of support available to staff, to sit alongside the independent advice service and independent complaints process.
"Raising complaints of this nature is never easy, and I am determined that staff have the support they need."
After the audio recording was leaked SNP MPs were threatened with criminal action by their chief whip.
Owen Thompson summoned every MP who was at the group meeting to speak with him in person on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a hunt for the leaker.
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Former soldier Collin Reeves has been handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years in prison for murdering his neighbours following a long-standing row over car parking.
The 35-year-old killed Stephen and Jennifer Chapple with a ceremonial military dagger at their home in Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset, in November last year, as their children slept upstairs.
The violent attack followed an ongoing argument about allocated parking spaces, which had started six months earlier.
The court heard that Reeves jumped over a fence to gain access to Mr and Mrs Chapple's house just moments before the attack.
The former Royal Engineer entered the house and stabbed Mrs Chapple six times in the chest and shoulder, shouting: "Die you, f****** die".
Mr Chapple was also stabbed six times and was found by emergency services close to the back door of his home.
After the killings, Reeves, who served in Afghanistan, called 999 and admitted to stabbing them.
"I went round with a knife," he said. "I've stabbed both of them."
Jailing Reeves, Mr Justice Garnham said the killings had "torn the heart out of two perfectly normal, decent families".
"You left (Mr and Mrs Chapple) on the floor bleeding to death, and all of the time their two children were asleep upstairs," he said.
"Your murderous behaviour left them orphans. They were put to bed that night by their parents and they would never see them again. The harm you did those two innocent children is incalculable."
Mrs Chapple was described as being "an exuberant, caring, beautiful light in the world" by her mother, Ann Clayton.
Speaking in a victim statement, Ms Clayton said: "For a mother to lose a child is something that causes never-ending pain, knowing there will forever be a darkness inside you, a light switched off that can never be replaced."
A jury at Bristol Crown Court heard that Reeves had been having trouble in his marriage, and less than an hour before he stabbed the Chapples his wife had asked for a trial separation.
Ten days before the killings, Reeves was caught on a doorbell camera approaching Mrs Chapple outside her house following an earlier exchange between her and Mrs Reeves.
He accused Mrs Chapple of "f****** gobbing off" and calls her a "cheeky little bitch".
The victim replies "she's the one who started it, just f*** off", to which he responds "what's that you f****** c***, you fat bitch".
During the trial, Reeves said he remembered little of what happened and denied murder, pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility instead.
Two forensic psychiatrists found he was not suffering from psychosis or acute post-traumatic stress disorder, and diagnosed him with mild to moderate depression.
In a highly unusual step, after Reeves was sentenced, his mother stood up to give her own statement, blaming her son's conviction on the failings of the two psychiatrists.
She claimed there should never have been a trial and his pleas to manslaughter should have been accepted.
Reeves was found guilty of murder on Friday 17 June.
This video can not be played
Rail passengers in Wales are dealing with the biggest strike in 30 years.
Fewer than 10% of normal services will run, Network Rail confirmed, on the first of three days of industrial action across the UK.
Last-minute talks between unions and rail bosses failed to broker peace in a row over pay and proposed job losses.
Commuters have been advised to avoid travelling by train as the few services that are running are likely to be full.
Major Welsh company Admiral, with 7,000 staff in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea, encouraged employees to work from home.
Rhian Langham, of the insurance group, said: "We're aware that the rail strikes could impact our colleagues' journeys into the office, but as a business that embraces hybrid working, our colleagues have the resources and flexibility to work from home.
"So we've encouraged those who feel that they'll be unable to get to the office as planned to work from home to help limit the potential disruption to them and our customers."
Motorists have been warned to expected a surge in vehicles on the roads, and there were reports of slow traffic across Wales during the morning rush hour.
The roads affected included: M4 eastbound at J23A A4810 (Magor Services); A470 southbound from A468 Caerphilly Road (Nantgarw interchange) to M4 J32 (Coryton interchange); A4138 from Llangennech) to M4 J48 at Llanelli; A525 eastbound at A483 J4 (Coedpoeth); A483 Wrexham bypass northbound; Before A55 J38 (Posthouse roundabout); A466 Wye Valley Link Road westbound.
Morgan Stevens of Newport Bus said the company saw 10% more passengers compared to last Tuesday.
He added that they were using double deckers for the busier regional routes such as Newport to Cardiff to cope with any increase in demand.
The Welsh government is urging road users to plan ahead and allow more time for journeys.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said the UK government had "chosen to promote conflict".
"The way to resolve this matter is not to have more petrol on the flames which is the approach of Grant Shapps and others in the UK government," he said.
"The way to resolve this is to get people back around the negotiating table and allow people to negotiate. Let's not forget this is an industry where half a billion pounds of profit was generated last year."
The Welsh government could face calls for inflation-proof pay rises from unions representing health and other public services workers.
Mr Gething said: "We will be entirely open and honest with trade unions about what it is possible to do in each and every one of our areas."
He claimed the Welsh government's hands were tied by funding from Westminster.
There would be "real difficulty for all of us" unless the Treasury provided the funding to increase wages in line with inflation, Mr Gething said.
Cynon Valley Labour MP Beth Winter, who joined RMT union members on the picket line, said strike action was "very much a last resort".
"The threat of compulsory redundancies, below inflation pay increases and threats to the working condition and terms of the workers has left the RMT members without any option but to take this action so I fully support them," she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.
"Workers deserve an inflation-proof pay rise.... for me as a trade unionist, we have to be supporting our workforce," the MP added.
Swansea Conservative councillor Louise Thomas said the strike would hurt people who are already struggling, such as those on zero hours contracts or carers.
"I just don't think it's the right time to strike at all. We've just gone through a pandemic. People are really, really struggling,"
"It's affecting the wider community," she said. "All people want to do is go to work. They want to put food on the table."
A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We strongly urge the UK government to do all it can to resolve the disputes with the rail unions.
"While staff at Transport for Wales are not striking, the impact on rail services in Wales has been and will be extensive. Passengers should expect severe disruption and check advice from train operators before travelling."
Stuart Cole, professor of transport economics at the University of South Wales, said the three-day walkout was due in particular to a dispute over a seven-day working week.
In the past, staff were given the option of not working on Sundays.
But Prof Cole said the economics of the railways industry had changed, with the weekend now part of the working week.
"Railway demand for leisure travel is up by 50% compared with a reduction in commuting by 40%. That change in the market place shows the importance of that weekend working," Prof Cole told Radio Wales.
Teresa Davies from Ewloe in Flintshire, who has dementia, regularly uses the trains and is dog sitting for a friend in Powys at the moment. She was planning to return home this week.
"I need to go home tomorrow, it's making me quite anxious," she said. "It's a two and a half hour drive each way."
"I do travel a lot. I'm quite independent and I'm fine travelling but when things go wrong, when things don't go to plan it can make my dementia worse. I can get very anxious, it's not good," she said.
There are no trains west of Cardiff nor north of Merthyr Tydfil on strike days and a special timetable for 20 to 26 June has been published.
There are limited services on the valley lines between Radyr and Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil, which is owned and operated by Transport for Wales, with a rail replacement bus link between Radyr and Cardiff Central.
Transport for Wales is not involved in the dispute, that includes guards, catering staff, signallers and track maintenance workers, but cannot run services as Network Rail maintains tracks in Wales.
The RMT union wants a pay rise of 7% to deal with the rising cost of living, but it says employers are offering a maximum of 3% on condition they also accept job cuts and changes to working practices.
Can I get a refund? Yes, if you cannot get your train due to strike action. Season-ticket holders can apply for a refund for the days affected. Find more info here.
Do I have to go to work or school? This is up to your individual employer or school, check with them.
How can I plan my train journey? Use the National Rail journey planner.
Read more here.
The RMT is unhappy about stagnating pay and proposed job losses and has threatened further action "for as long as it takes to get a settlement", potentially for six months or more.
Steve Skelly of the RMT in Wales said it had had none of the assurances it wanted from neither the UK government nor train companies.
Mr Skelly said: "The reality is that we've had no other option but to ballot our members for industrial action. For some of our members this has been the third year of a pay freeze."
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has dismissed a call from the RMT for ministerial intervention and said negotiations should be between unions and employers. The Labour Party has also called on the government to step in.
Welsh Conservatives' transport spokeswoman Natasha Asghar said: "Whilst I support workers' right to strike, this rail walkout is set to cause huge disruption not just across Wales but the rest of the UK."
She urged unions to "abandon the working practices of the 1950s, get round the table and use the changes in practices to give the staff a pay rise".
In 2020, it was estimated that only 3% of commuting in Wales was by rail. This compared to 10% on average across Britain and as high as 45% in London.
In Wales, more than 80% of commuters still travel to work by car, which is higher than all English regions and Scotland, according to Department of Transport figures.
How are the rail strikes affecting you? Get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.
Former soldier Collin Reeves has been handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years in prison for murdering his neighbours following a long-standing row over car parking.
The 35-year-old killed Stephen and Jennifer Chapple with a ceremonial military dagger at their home in Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset, in November last year, as their children slept upstairs.
The violent attack followed an ongoing argument about allocated parking spaces, which had started six months earlier.
The court heard that Reeves jumped over a fence to gain access to Mr and Mrs Chapple's house just moments before the attack.
The former Royal Engineer entered the house and stabbed Mrs Chapple six times in the chest and shoulder, shouting: "Die you, f****** die".
Mr Chapple was also stabbed six times and was found by emergency services close to the back door of his home.
After the killings, Reeves, who served in Afghanistan, called 999 and admitted to stabbing them.
"I went round with a knife," he said. "I've stabbed both of them."
Jailing Reeves, Mr Justice Garnham said the killings had "torn the heart out of two perfectly normal, decent families".
"You left (Mr and Mrs Chapple) on the floor bleeding to death, and all of the time their two children were asleep upstairs," he said.
"Your murderous behaviour left them orphans. They were put to bed that night by their parents and they would never see them again. The harm you did those two innocent children is incalculable."
Mrs Chapple was described as being "an exuberant, caring, beautiful light in the world" by her mother, Ann Clayton.
Speaking in a victim statement, Ms Clayton said: "For a mother to lose a child is something that causes never-ending pain, knowing there will forever be a darkness inside you, a light switched off that can never be replaced."
A jury at Bristol Crown Court heard that Reeves had been having trouble in his marriage, and less than an hour before he stabbed the Chapples his wife had asked for a trial separation.
Ten days before the killings, Reeves was caught on a doorbell camera approaching Mrs Chapple outside her house following an earlier exchange between her and Mrs Reeves.
He accused Mrs Chapple of "f****** gobbing off" and calls her a "cheeky little bitch".
The victim replies "she's the one who started it, just f*** off", to which he responds "what's that you f****** c***, you fat bitch".
During the trial, Reeves said he remembered little of what happened and denied murder, pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility instead.
Two forensic psychiatrists found he was not suffering from psychosis or acute post-traumatic stress disorder, and diagnosed him with mild to moderate depression.
In a highly unusual step, after Reeves was sentenced, his mother stood up to give her own statement, blaming her son's conviction on the failings of the two psychiatrists.
She claimed there should never have been a trial and his pleas to manslaughter should have been accepted.
Reeves was found guilty of murder on Friday 17 June.
