Approximately 120 people were rescued from a fire at an apartment complex in southeast London on Saturday.
Fifteen fire engines and 100 firefighters were sent to deal with the fire at the St Mark’s Square apartment complex, the London Fire Brigade said.
Part of the roof of the complex was damaged by the fire while half of a five-room flat on the 15th floor was destroyed.
The blaze was reported at 11.58am and brought under control as of 4.08pm.
Station Commander Colin Digby, who was at the scene, said: “Crews made steady progress in fighting the fire. It was a protracted incident and our crews will be on scene for several hours to come.”
Earlier in the day, Josh Gill, 29, a Co-op team leader from Bromley, said: “I literally live on the doorstep.
“I was in my flat and my mother-in-law came over to pick up my wife’s niece who stayed over last night, and as she came she said about the fire and saw all the fire brigade appear and I went to have a look.
“Some people were upset and crying whilst others were shocked and confused as to what was going on. The fire brigade are still here and you can see people who live in the flats evacuated in the church.”
“It is scary to see this right on the doorstep as I have a family.”
Rowland Leslie, 63, who also lives near the tower block, added: “I was just walking down to come to Bromley and I don’t think it had started not long before that because the fire engines were just coming.
“Where there is the slant of the building there are balconies and flames were burning ferociously at the start.
“I have been in Bromley for over an hour and where I was it looked like the fire had been put out but in the last 20 minutes it looks like it must have started up again.”
