Fire breaks out at London highrise tower block with 70 firefighters on scene

15 January 2023 , 00:17

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Approximately 50 people had self-evacuated by the time fire crews reached the scene (Image: @LondonFire)

Around 70 firefighters are tackling a flat fire in London, with 10 fire engines deployed to the scene on Chiltern Road, Bow, after the whole of the flat on the ninth floor was reported to be alight.

Around 50 people had self-evacuated the 19-storey block before the Brigade arrived, London Fire Brigade said in an update.

A number of other residents remained safely in their unaffected flats and there are no injuries reported at this time.

London Fire Brigade later said that the flat fire was "under control" and that the "whole of a flat on the ninth floor was damaged by the blaze".

The cause of the fire is currently not known.

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London Fire Brigade later said that the flat fire was "under control" (@LondonFire)

London's firefighters have been in the news recently after it was revealed that a number of those who saved lives at Grenfell Tower have since been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

A Mirror investigation found that many of the crew members, some aged only in their 40s, are suffering with rare cancers linked to their exposure to high levels of contaminants during the huge rescue effort.

Up to a dozen have been diagnosed with cancers, the majority of which are understood to be digestive cancers and leukaemia.

But it is feared this could be the tip of the iceberg, with some cancers taking up to 25 years to appear.

Grenfell was one of the worst disasters in UK's modern history, with victims including six members of one family - the Choucair Family and five members of the Hashim Family, who lived on the 22nd floor.

The youngest victim was six-month-old baby Leena Belkadi, who died in her mother's arms as she tried to escape, while the oldest victim is believed to be 84-year-old Sheila Smith who had lived in Grenfell Tower for 34 years.

Now firefighters and survivors of the tragedy have concerns about suffering from future health problems and there have been calls for health screening.

A fire service source told us: “We are expecting some really depressing data to be revealed soon. It’s shocking.”

The source told us a list of firefighters with cancer who attended Grenfell is being put together by experts.

It is understood they have already found about a dozen cases but that could end up being more than 20.

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Will Maule