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Residents evacuate as fire rips through block of flats in Croydon

Fire in block of flats West Croydon - @BANNERWORX
Fire in block of flats West Croydon - @BANNERWORX

Dozens of residents were forced to evacuate after a fire engulfed a block of flats in south London on Wednesday.

Members of the public were urged to avoid Whitehorse Road in Croydon where around 60 firefighters battled the blaze on the first, second, third and fourth floors of the five-storey block of flats.

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade, who were alerted to the incident at 5.03pm, said: “The cause of the fire is not yet known.”

Allan Brown, 44, who lives and works in Croydon and witnessed the fire, said: “From where I was standing, which was quite close at one point, many residents, including children, could be seen running from the building’s lower floor, with some residents trying to get back into the building.

“This was before the fire department arrived with the first two engines. There were residents leaving the building and trying to get back into it, but the blaze was very high.

“We had to clear the area due (to) the smoke that filled the area.

“In total there was six fire engines and various amounts of police and ambulance in the scene within five minutes.”

The fire brigade issued a statement reading: “Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters are tackling a flat fire on Whitehorse Road in Croydon. Part of the first, second and third floors of a five-storey block of flats are alight. Our 999 Control Officers have taken over 30 calls about the fire.”

Station Commander Chris Young said at the scene: “Around 80 people left the building. Road closures are expected to be in place for a number of hours this evening and we’re urging people to avoid the local area.”

A London Ambulance Service spokesman, who said an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and members of a hazardous area response team were sent to the incident, added: “We treated a man and a woman at the scene but did not take anyone to hospital.”