The footage, taken by an anonymous bystander, shows a raging fire in the four-bed flat on the third floor of a 22-storey residential block in Spitalfields, London.
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60 firefighters tackle balcony blaze in in Spitalfields
Firefighters can be seen tackling a blazing fire in a residential block in central London.
The footage, taken by an anonymous bystander, shows a raging fire in the four-bed flat on the third floor of a 22-storey residential block in Spitalfields, London. Around 60 firefighters and eight fire engines attended the scene, with onlookers reporting a response time of around 10 minutes.
One woman was led to safety by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, and a further three people were treated on scene by London Ambulance Service. All four people were taken to hospital as a precaution. The fire is now under control according to London Fire Brigade officials.
“I was working near the building, and we noticed there was a fire across the road,” said an onlooker. “There were loads of people watching and nobody knew what was happening.”
While the origin of the fire is still unknown and under investigation, bystanders claim that the flames were extinguished within 45 minutes, after control officers received 21 calls related to the fire. The fire brigade used a 32m turntable ladder to fight the fire from above and serve as an observation tower.
The four-room flat was destroyed, with half of a balcony and part of the flat’s roof damaged by the fire. Crews from Shoreditch, Dowgate, Euston and surrounding stations attended the scene, with firefighters seen in the footage investigating the charred interior of the flat.
“People were really concerned about it spreading – nobody knew what was going to happen,” said the bystander. “There were loads of firefighters and thankfully they caught it before it managed to spread.”
There are significant road closures between Commercial Street and Aldgate High Street which are impacting the surrounding area. The public are urged to continue to avoid the area where possible.
An LFB spokesperson said: “Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters have tackled a fire at a block of flats on Commercial Street in Spitalfields. Part of the first floor was alight. There are significant road closures between Commercial Street and Aldgate High Street which are impacting the surrounding area. People are advised to continue to avoid the area if they can.
“Control Officers took 21 calls regarding the blaze. The first was received at 11.39am and the fire was under control by 12.21pm. Crews from Shoreditch, Dowgate, Euston and surrounding fire stations are attending the scene. The cause of the fire is not yet known.”
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