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Block of flats evacuated after kitchen fire

Fadumo Farah A close-up image of the windows at Croydon House. Both the windows are fully opened and blackened with smoke, and are clearly very high up in the building. There is a very small amount of discolouration visible on the brick above one window as well. Fadumo Farah
The blaze broke out accidentally and was related to cooking, the fire service said

A block of flats in Bristol had to be evacuated after a fire broke out in a kitchen on the 10th floor.

Firefighters were called at 15:14 BST to reports of a fire in a flat in Croydon House, next to the Lawrence Hill roundabout in Easton, with seven crews sent to the scene.

The fire was contained to one flat and there were no injuries reported, confirmed Avon Fire and Rescue's duty group area manager Steve Quinton.

He said the fire had started accidentally, and was related to cooking.

"We instigated our full high-rise procedure", he said, adding that the building alarm had sounded and the building was "evacuated as a precaution".

Video footage from the scene shows dark smoke billowing from open windows and fire engines attending the incident.

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Housing activist Fadumo Farah, who lives in the nearby Barton House which itself was evacuated in November 2023 over safety fears, told the BBC: "It looks really sad, and what makes it even more upsetting is that the kids are outside playing football now.

"They’ve said they’re now too scared to go back inside, which is heartbreaking."

Ms Fadumo, who is leading the campaign to rehouse Barton House residents and works for renters union Acorn added: "The flat that burned down belongs to a single mum and her daughter, and I can’t imagine how terrifying this must be for them.

"A home should be a place of safety, and right now, it’s the opposite."

Fadumo Farah A red fire service vehicle with what appears to be a long-reach ladder on it parked outside the building. The ladder is down and in the foreground a couple of children wearing coats can be seen kicking a football. Fadumo Farah
Ms Farah described the scene as "heartbreaking"

Mr Quinton confirmed to the BBC that Bristol City Council had attended the incident and that the residents of the affected flat would be rehoused.

He also confirmed that ambulance crews had attended, as well as police in order to support the large number of people who were evacuated from the building.

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