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A man has tragically died after a fire engulfed a third-floor flat in Southwark, East London, on Monday morning, September 4. Neighbours described the harrowing moments as they shouted for their friend to try and escape the flames that consumed his balcony, but he was sadly overcome by smoke and fire.
The friends of the man, who asked not to be named, recalled how they urged him to use the drainpipe to climb down. However, the smoke and flames proved too overwhelming, and the man succumbed to the blaze. The fire has since been declared a crime scene, and a joint investigation between the London Fire Brigade (LFB) and the Metropolitan Police Service is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
Emergency services were called to King James Street at around 5:00 am. Six fire engines and 40 firefighters responded to the fire, which completely destroyed the third-floor flat, consisting of three rooms. Despite firefighters’ efforts, the man was declared dead at the scene.
A further five residents managed to escape, with one being rescued by firefighters and the other four managing to leave the building before the fire brigade arrived.
Footage posted online showed thick clouds of smoke billowing into the sky as the fire ravaged the flat. Multiple cordons were put in place as firefighters from Dockhead, Old Kent Road, Soho, and surrounding stations worked to bring the fire under control by 7:18 am.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said: “Sadly, a man has died following a fire on King James Street, Southwark. The fire is under investigation by the Brigade and the Metropolitan Police Service.
The investigation into the cause of the blaze is ongoing.
