Eleven residents were evacuated from their homes after a fire tore through two flats in Aldgate, East London, on Sunday evening.
The blaze broke out just before 5.45pm on Leman Street, engulfing flats on the sixth and seventh floors of a residential building. London Fire Brigade deployed around 100 firefighters to tackle the incident, which was brought under control by approximately 7.30pm.
Crews from Whitechapel, Shadwell, Shoreditch, Dowgate, Bethnal Green, and surrounding stations responded to the emergency after 15 calls were made to report the fire.
No injuries were reported, with firefighters successfully leading all 11 evacuees to safety.
Borough Commander Lucy Macleod, who attended the scene, praised the swift response of her team:
“Crews acted swiftly to bring the fire under control, but will remain on site this evening to damp down remaining hotspots. Road closures are currently in place, and there is significant congestion in the surrounding area. We urge the public to avoid the vicinity while we continue to make the scene safe.”
Commander Macleod also noted that one of the Brigade’s 64-metre turntable ladders was deployed as an observation tower, providing a high-angle vantage point to assess the blaze and coordinate the response.
The London Fire Brigade is now working closely with partner agencies to support displaced residents and determine the cause of the fire, which remains under investigation.
Local traffic remains disrupted due to road closures, and residents are advised to check for travel updates before heading into the area.
