North Woolwich fire: Blaze breaks out in tower block

About 125 firefighters are battling a fire at the top of a tower block in east London.

A four-room flat is completely alight on the 17th floor of the block on Manwood Street, North Woolwich.

There are no reported injuries and London Fire Brigade (LFB) said the blaze was under control.

It comes a day after LFB said it had experienced its busiest day since World War Two as the UK recorded its hottest ever temperatures on Tuesday.

Crews are also tackling a hectare (2.5 acres) of burning grass opposite the block.

A man who lives "just a few metres" from the high-rise flats described the scene as "a real inferno".

Rolly Apao, 45, was told by police to keep clear of the fire, with the grass next to his back garden also alight.

The healthcare assistant said "firefighters were able to tackle the fire quickly", adding he was scared "but I have to pay attention of my surroundings for my safety".

"We just had the heatwave yesterday which we [have had] to deal with mentally and physically... the heat is too much to bear."

The top corner of the 17-storey block is blackened, with several apartment windows missing, but smoke is no longer coming from the building.

LFB confirmed all residents were accounted for and the flames had been brought under control.

Keith Sanders, press liaison officer for the service, said crews had faced difficult conditions: "There's lots of possessions which is making it very challenging for crews to completely get the fire out.

He added: "Although you can see they are now attending the fire and the fire is now under control. There's no reports of any injuries."

LFB added the cause of the fire was not yet known and a "thorough" investigation would be carried out.

London Ambulance Service said: "We have sent a number of resources to the scene, including advanced paramedics and our hazardous area response team."

On Tuesday, a major incident was declared in London when a spate of wildfires added pressure to the fire service, which dealt with more than 1,100 callouts in 24 hours.

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