'Get out of the building': How Aussie hero saved residents trapped in blazing tower

As terrified residents attempted to escape the Grenfell Tower blaze, one Australian man used an axe to smash his way in to rescue those with no way out.

Jody Martin was with his housemate, Dave, when he spotted the blaze erupting from his balcony.

As a dozen firefighters tried to work out how to fight the fire Jody and Dave made their way to the other side of the apartment complex.

Wasting no time, Jody grabbed an axe and bashed his way into the building, made his way to the second floor and escorted a couple to safety.

Jody Martin was with his housemate, Dave, when he spotted the blaze erupting from his balcony. Source: Sunrise

“I was just running around the building shouting at people, ‘get out of the building, get out of the building’,” Jody told 7 News.

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“One of the firefighters told me to calm down and I said, ‘mate you need to come around the other side of the building’ because the whole other side of the building was ablaze and it was moving at a pace and it was moving really quickly."

The death toll grew from 12 to 17 overnight, however police have warned that number could grow into "triple figures".

It's now been revealed that it might it take months to learn the full extent of the fire.

Commander Stuart Cundy told reporters on Thursday some victims of the blaze which destroyed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower might never be identified.