A fire that broke out in east London, in a residential tower has raised the alarm in the English authorities. The fire started burning in the early hours of Monday, August 26, a bank holiday.
It was immediately decided to evacuate the high-rise complex, and more than 100 people have been removed from the scene, among them children. Meanwhile, more than 200 firefighters are helping to put out the blaze in Dagenham, east London, and two people have been taken to hospital.
🔴 A huge blaze engulfed a block of flats in Dagenham with “known fire safety issues” on Monday.
More than 100 people have been evacuated and two taken to hospital after a fire broke out in the building in East London.
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— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 26, 2024
It is a “major search and rescue operation”, which is ongoing, reports skynews. At the same time, it is noted that the building is a mixed-use residential and commercial space, which was known to have “a number of fire safety issues”, as commented by the London Fire Brigade.
A planning application from 2023 shows the building was covered in “non-compliant” cladding. Scaffolding surrounding the building was in place to remove the cladding when the fire broke out.
The image of fire
Thick smoke could be seen rising into the sky as 225 firefighters and 40 vehicles responded.
Emergency services were called at around 2.44am. and the first crews reached the tower within five minutes.
Four people were given first aid and two were taken to hospital, according to the London Ambulance Service.
Dagenham, East London
More than 200 firefighters respond to fire at east London tower block in the early hours of this morning pic.twitter.com/RqgiZGI2Ez
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The entire building has been affected by the fire, including the scaffolding that surrounded it, but also the roof.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but the incident has been declared major.
The father of a teenage girl, who was in the building, told skynews that “they started smelling smoke around 3am. and they learned that there is a fire.” “I think the majority of the residents managed to get out of the building before the fire started to spread,” he noted.
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