Child Rescued by Ladder as Fire Destroys Flat in Sheenewood Block
A first-floor flat in a three-storey residential block on Sheenewood was destroyed by fire in the early hours of Saturday, 21 June, prompting a major emergency response.
The London Fire Brigade received the first of 15 emergency calls at 12:46am, and fire crews quickly mobilised to the scene. The blaze was declared under control by 2:05am, but not before it caused significant damage and forced multiple rescues.
Multiple Rescued, Six Hospitalised
Two adults had already escaped from the burning flat before firefighters arrived and were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service.
A child wearing a fire escape hood was rescued from another flat using a 13.5-metre ladder, in a high-risk external rescue by firefighters. A further two adults and another child were rescued through an internal staircase, also wearing escape hoods.
All those rescued were taken to hospital for treatment.
The use of fire escape hoods, introduced by the London Fire Brigade in 2018 following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, proved critical in protecting residents from smoke inhalation during the evacuation.
Investigation Underway
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, and fire officers have yet to confirm the origin of the blaze.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said:
“Crews acted swiftly and professionally to bring the fire under control and rescue multiple residents. The use of escape hoods ensured they were protected from toxic smoke while being led to safety.”
