A woman takes a selfie near the Grenfell Tower where 79 people died in a fire last week. Picture: AFP / Adrian Dennis

The heartless spectacle at the site — where 79 people died — has led west London residents to erect signs around the blackened 24-storey building urging people to stop engaging in “grief tourism”, the New York Post reports.

One sign hanging from a nearby fence reads: “Grenfell a tragedy not a tourist attraction #selfies.”

Wayne Kilo Lewis, who lived near Grenfell for almost 30 years, told The Independent outrage has been mounting among local residents.

A woman takes a selfie near the Grenfell Tower where 79 people died in a fire last week. Picture: AFP / Adrian DennisSource:AFP

“People are saying, ‘Show some respect, this is not the time and place for it’ but they have continued doing it and just walked away to do it elsewhere,” said Lewis, 36, who lost several friends in the disaster.

“You don’t want to confront them because it’s all so sensitive but it gets to the stage you have so much upset and rage you just want to slap the phone out of their hands.

“It’s a disgusting sight which people who are trying to grieve do not want to see or ought to see. “All the years in and out of that tower block, I could not physically stand there and look at the building because it was too overwhelming and emotional imagining the people trying to escape, and then people around you are having a laugh.”

Lorraine Warrington, another neighbour, told the Expressnewspaper: “This is not the time or place to take selfies — in front of a tower block where my friends passed away.”

A Twitter user wrote: “Nearly puked at what I just saw. Group of tourists at Latimer Road station with a selfie stick taking a selfie with #GrenfellTower smiling proud. Seriously.”

Another added: “Please stop taking selfies with Grenfell Tower. My area is NOT a tourist attraction. Let us grieve in peace. From: the Latimer community.”

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.