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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Matt Watts,Daniel Keane and Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Blackwall fire: 70 firefighters tackle blaze at London skyscraper that sends huge plume of smoke across sky

Around 70 firefighters have tackled a flat fire at a high rise building in Blackwall.

Part of a flat and an entire balcony on the 25th floor of the 45-storey building were destroyed in the blaze, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) said on Monday.

There were no reported injuries.

LFB said ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were scrambled to tackle the flat fire at New Providence Wharf, Biscayne Avenue.

The LFB said the blaze had been brought under control by 2.50pm but it continued to produce a large amount of smoke.

Those in the local area were advised to keep windows and doors closed and avoid Biscayne Avenue, the LFB said.

It came after the London Fire Brigade tackled a huge fire in Dagenham.

The Brigade's 999 Control Officers took over 100 calls to the second blaze.

The Brigade was first called at 1.28pm. Crews from Millwall, Plaistow, Shadwell and surrounding fire stations were in attendance at the scene.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

Dylan Lee, 28, who saw flames and smoke billowing from the structure while he was in his apartment in Canary Wharf opposite, said he felt "dread" at the sight.

The designer and VFX artist told the PA news agency: "Around 13:25, an alarm rang out when I noticed smoke billowing from the apartment.

"Debris and pieces had fallen from the balcony, glass shattered and caused the fire to expand and engulf the space, with flames reaching out as the wind carried the smoke."

He said the fire brigade arrived 20 minutes later and added: "I felt dread, especially considering this is the second apartment fire in 24 hours in East London alone.

"I'm hoping the residents made it out OK and the firefighters are in one piece. This was somebody's home."

A spokesperson for London Ambulance Service said it was called to the incident at 1.27pm where they supported other emergency services, and that they were stood down "when it was determined there were no patients reported at the scene".

It came just hours after firefighters tackled a huge fire at an apartment in Dagenham.

Forty fire engines and around 225 firefighters responded to the blaze in Freshwater Road, which prompted the London Fire Brigade to declare a major incident.

More than 100 people were evacuated from the building and two people have been taken to hospital.

Authorities had been working to remove cladding from the tower block shortly before it was hit by the fire.

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