Tom Hardy is fundraising for victims of the Grenfell Tower fire, as E! Online reports. The Taboo actor set up a fundraising page on JustGiving, and he has already exceeded his £20,000 goal by more than £10,000.
"As a Londoner and as a human being, it is impossible to be unaffected by the harrowing, unnecessary loss of life, injury, sorrow and the continuing desperate and disturbing situation facing those that were residents of Grenfell Tower, Latimer Road West London," the actor wrote on the site. As of now, the death count for the tragedy stands at 30, and local authorities are still investigating the origin of the overnight fire. Many residents of the tower are still missing. Survivors of the tragedy are left without food, clothing, and a place to live.
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"My thoughts are with the innocent families who are suffering — those who have lost their homes and possessions, their friends, families, relatives, children and their lives in a disaster which could have been avoided," Hardy continued. "People who now have literally nothing within a matter of hours due to what appears to be a man-made mistake and a gross act of negligence which demands a full public enquiry."
Some have speculated that cladding on the outside of the building contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, though that is not confirmed, according to The New York Times. Thus far, it seems clear that the building was far from fire safe — it lacked a sprinkler system and outdoor fire escapes. As of now, the London fire brigade is still searching the building for victims, an effort that the commissioner said would be a "slow and painstaking process."
"In the meantime," Tom Hardy writes, "there are families and children in crisis that desperately need our help and support tonight, both now and ongoing. Please will you help them in any way you can. Every little [bit] helps."