Many Arabs feared dead after London tower fire

A horrific fire that engulfed a tower block in West London early on Wednesday morning, claimed the lives of at least 17 people and left many others injured. 

Hundreds of people were evacuated while others remained trapped and are now feared dead. 

There is growing frustration from the families of the missing regarding the lack of information about their loved ones. 

According to The Guardian, the names of at least 24 missing people have been circulated by friends and family. They include several Arabs. 

An entire Lebanese family, including a mother, Nadia Choucair, her husband, three daughters and mother in law have not been heard from since the incident on Wednesday. 

According to The Telegraph, they are understood to have lived on one of the top floors of the building. 

Friends and family of Mariem Elgwahry are searching for her after she went missing.

One of her friends posted to Facebook and wrote: "Please let me know if you see Mariem Elgwahry. She was on the 19th floor Grenfell tower. Last someone heard from her was 2.30AM she was with her mum!!"

Ranya Ibrahim, a mother of two, sent pleas for help from her Snapchat account at 3 am. 

One of her devastated friends spoke out on live television, saying that no one has heard from Ibrahim or her children since her last snap was sent. 

Also unaccounted for is teenager Nurhuda El-Wahabi, as well as her older brother Yasin, aged 21. 

Karim Musilly last spoke to his uncle Hesham Rahman, 57, via mobile phone at 1.30 am. 

“He said there is a fire in the building, he had phoned the police who said stay in your flat and put a wet towel under the door. He was getting really worried because the smoke was coming in. Then the phone went dead.”

Rahman, has not been heard from since.

A Syrian refugee who fled his war-torn country for a better life in the UK is also among those missing. 

According to The Telegraph, the 23-year-old civil engineering student at the  University of West London, "was separated from his older brother Omar on the stairs as they tried to escape the inferno engulfing the 24-storey block." 

"The 23-year-old was following Omar but let go of his hand after becoming overwhelmed by the smoke. He returned alone to their flat on the 14th floor, where he was trapped for two hours." 

Al Haj Ali made several phone calls to friends and family back home in Syria before sending one final message that read: "The fire is here now, goodbye".

Friends and family confirmed that Omar made it out alive and is reportedly recovering in Kings Cross hospital. Mohammed, however, has not been heard from since.