Flames and smoke billow from tower block as 70 firefighters battle blaze

A massive blaze at a residential block in Plaistow, east London, is being tackled by 70 firefighters and ten fire engines with thick smoke pictured rising into the sky

A huge fire has ripped through a residential apartment block in east London with around 70 firefighters at the scene.

Ten fire engines have been sent to the incident on Queens Road West in Plaistow, east London, this morning, London Fire Brigade said. Fire fighters responded from from East Ham, Plaistow, Stratford and surrounding stations

Traffic in the area will be affected as crews respond, the brigade said. Thick smoke can be seen billowing up into the sky with the focal point of the blaze on one of the higher floors.

Posting on X at 8:33am today, the London Fire Brigade said: "Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters are responding to a fire at a residential block on Queens Road West in Plaistow. Traffic in the area will be impacted as crews respond. More information to follow."

It later said that there were 30 people who have been evacuated from the 15-storey tower block after a fire took hold on the tenth floor. An interior flat along with its balcony are still on fire but three men who were inside have left the building and are being currently treated by paramedics from the London Ambulance Service.

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A full statement from the fire service read: "Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters are responding to a flat fire on Queens Road West in Plaistow. The fire is located in a 10th floor flat, in a block of 15 floors, and the balcony and flat interior are currently alight.

"Three men left the flat before the Brigade arrived, and are being treated on scene by the London Ambulance Service. Around 30 people have been evacuated by the building.

"The Brigade's Control Officers have taken over 30 calls reporting the fire, with the first received at 0802. Firefighters from East Ham, Plaistow, Stratford and surrounding fire stations are currently at the scene. The cause of the fire is not yet known."

A person posted a photo of the thick black smoke coming from the building along with orange flames and captioned it: "Oi this is mad them blocks in Plaistow." A person replied: "Ain't this the second fire around there in the last few years. There was one near Plaistow station too a while back."

At 9.17am London Fire Brigade wrote on social media that the fire had now been brought under control but traffic will still be affected. "The fire in #Plaistow is now under control. Traffic in the area will be impacted as crews remain on scene into the morning," it stated.