More than 100 evacuated from east London tower block fire

LONDON

More than 200 firefighters have responded to a fire at a high-rise tower block partly used by residents in Dagenham, east London.

At least 100 people have been evacuated from the residential building after the fire started shortly before 3:00 a.m. (0200GMT) and a major incident was declared.

Four patients were treated at the scene according to the London Ambulance Service. Two patients were taken to hospital.

Assistant Commissioner Patrick Goulbourne said Monday afternoon that they "have now stood down the major incident," as "everyone has been accounted for."

"We were called at 2.52 a.m. today (26 August) to reports of a fire on Freshwater Road in Dagenham,” an emergency service spokesman said.

"We sent a large number of resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, incident response officers, an advanced paramedic in critical care, emergency planning officers, a command support vehicle and members of our hazardous area response team.”

“Twenty fire engines and around 125 firefighters are responding to a fire on Freshwater Road in Dagenham,” The London Fire Brigade wrote on X an hour after the fire started.

Alan Bendell, a fire station commander, said the fire was “producing heavy smoke and we're advising local residents to keep windows and doors closed.”

A similar fire in 2017 had caused the death of 72 people in London’s Grenfell Tower.