‘Get out! Get out!’ Dramatic moment police rescue residents as inferno engulfs London flats

4 March 2024, 12:51

Man arrested as video released showing officers rescuing people from fire

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

This is the dramatic moment police officers forced entry into a burning block of flats to rescue residents who were trapped inside.

Officers rushed inside the converted terraced house and kicked down the front door to enter the west London building, which caught fire in the early hours of Friday morning.

The officers then entered six flats inside the building to rescue those that were inside during the blaze, which took place in Emperor's Gate, South Kensington.

Eleven people were rushed to hospital due to injuries from smoke inhalation.

Police also confirmed today that a man has been arrested on suspicion of arson.

“The bravery and professionalism of the Met officers who responded so rapidly to this terrifying fire shows the very best of policing,” said superintendent Jill Horsfall.

“They acted without hesitation to rapidly enter a burning building full of smoke and to save lives.

“Our subsequent investigation will be equally tenacious and we now have a man in custody.

“Working with our partners and communities to keep Londoners safe is exactly why police officers come to work every day. We are recruiting people who share our determination to do just this. Please search ‘Met Careers’ if you’re interested in a career with the Met.”

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said on Friday that 15 fire engines and about 100 firefighters attended the scene, where half of the ground floor of the building was alight.

Around 15 people left the building before firefighters arrived, with around 130 people in total evacuated from the property where the fire started and its neighbouring buildings.

The brigade said two people were rescued from a second floor flat, one person was rescued from a first floor flat and another two were rescued from a flat on the fourth floor.

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Station Commander Steve Collins said on Friday: "The fire spread from the ground floor to the top floor and roof of the property.

"Crews [worked] extremely hard to contain the (fire) to stop it spreading to adjacent buildings."