Fire in Dagenham: Residents report fleeing after evacuation from a burning high-rise building | News from the UK

Firefighters rescued 20 people from a burning high-rise building after it caught fire.

More than 200 firefighters took part in a “major search and rescue operation” in which about 80 people, including children, had to be evacuated from their homes.

Another 20 people are said to have been rescued by the fire brigade after “significant damage to the building” occurred.

Speaking on Monday afternoon, Patrick Goulbourne, deputy chief of the London Fire Brigade, added that all people had been found and the fire was under control.

The block, described as a mixed-use residential and commercial building, had “a number of fire safety issues” and was clad with “non-compliant” cladding, according to the London Fire Service.

Scaffolding was erected around the building to remove the cladding and a fire safety notice issued last year highlighted inspectors' concerns at the time.

Plumes of smoke could be seen rising into the sky as 40 fire engines and 225 firefighters responded to the fire throughout the night and into the morning.

The emergency call was made at around 2:44 a.m. and the first emergency services arrived at the high-rise building within five minutes.

Four patients were treated at the scene and two were taken to hospital, London Ambulance Services said.

The cause of the fire is still unknown. The emergency services had reported a “major incident”, which has since been lifted.

A local resident said he heard people “screaming” from his house, which was just a few hundred meters away from the building, when it caught fire overnight.

“I saw flames coming towards us”

Kasia Stantke, who has lived in the building for six years, had not heard the fire alarm.

Instead, she told Sky News she was woken up by bangs.

“I got out of bed, looked out the window and saw flames climbing up to our balcony.

“I woke up my partner and told him there was a fire that was spreading rapidly.”

They got dressed, grabbed their dog and fled.

“There was no fire alarm, nothing was going off. When we ran out of the apartments, we just saw a few neighbors. We looked at each other and said, 'Are you OK?' and tried to wake up a few others, but there was no fire alarm.”

When she tried knocking on doors, Ms Stantke said she “couldn't hear a neighbor,” adding: “I hope they were gone for the long weekend.”

She added that after the fire, she would probably have no home to return to.

Mohammed, a resident of the sixth floor, told Sky News that he too did not hear the fire alarm and left the building with only the clothes on his back.

“My daughter saved our lives”

A resident of the first floor was not present when the fire started. He said that his daughter falling asleep during a friend's barbecue saved their lives, so he decided to stay the night and not return home.

“I was at my friend’s house when I got a call that my block was on fire,” Drilon Nezaj told Sky News.

He said his apartment was above the kindergarten in the building where he was notified of the fire.

He continued: “I was invited to my friend's barbecue yesterday. I didn't want to go, but he said 'please, please, please', so I said let's go.”

He brought his 17-month-old daughter with him and when she fell asleep, he decided to stay the night so he wouldn't have to wake her up.

“Thank God she saved our lives. From what I saw, you couldn't have escaped the fire, no chance,” he added.

“We have no idea what happened”

Dinesh Raj's daughter was at a pajama party with a friend's family in the building when the fire broke out.

Mr Raj told Sky News he received a call at around 3am and drove off to pick up his daughter and friends.

“They also had a six-month-old baby with them, so they managed to grab the baby and my daughter and escape from the building,” he said.

He added: “I think the majority [of residents] managed to get out before the fire spread.

“But everything they have is back in the building and we have no idea what happened.”

A complete evacuation

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe said: “I am deeply grateful to the crews and officers who rescued people and brought the incident under control in dangerous conditions, despite significant damage to the building.”

He added that drones and 64-metre-long turntable ladders would be used to fight the fire.

A quiet zone has been set up at Becontree Heath Leisure Centre and residents in the surrounding area have been advised to keep their windows closed due to smoke.

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Home Secretary Yvette Cooper issued a statement following the fire.

She said: “My thoughts are with everyone affected by the major fire in Dagenham.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was in close contact with the fire service, which he praised for its “swift” action.

He added: “I urge residents to follow the LFB's advice, keep windows and doors closed and avoid the area if possible.”

A fire safety notice was issued for the building in April 2023.

The five problems highlighted included “failure to provide and/or maintain adequate and clearly marked escape routes and exits.”

It is not clear whether it was complied with.

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Local MP Margaret Mullane said injuries from the fire were “minimal” and she would visit the recreation centre later in the day.

Late Monday morning, pockets of fire were still visible on the roof of the building.