Huge blaze breaks out in east London tower block - as more than 100 firefighters tackle blaze
20 April 2025, 21:15 | Updated: 20 April 2025, 21:27
A huge fire has broken out in a block of flats in east London, with more than 100 firefighters tackling the blaze.
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Footage emerging from the scene showed flames engulfing two seperate flats on Leman Street in Aldgate, as smoke billowed from the building on Sunday evening.
Videos uploaded to social media show a wall of flames bellowing from the high-rise block shortly after 6pm.
The London Fire Brigade said 15 fire engines were at the scene after receiving a call from a member of the public a handful of minutes earlier.
It said a fifth-floor flat was the starting point of the fire, while part of a second flat on the seventh floor was also ablaze.
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The flat fire in #Aldgate is now under control, but we will remain on scene for a number of hours this evening.
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) April 20, 2025
Road closures remain in place & we urge the public to continue to avoid the area where possible https://t.co/Ss8yl5t91yhttps://t.co/DdaKTAKiPp
The cause of the fire is not yet known, the Fire Brigade said late on Sunday.
The blaze saw firefighters warn the public to avoid the area while they attempted to bring the fire under control.
No members of the public were injured in the incident, LFB added.
Khaja Naseer, 44, who filmed the blaze from his window, confirmed that flames engulfed the flats late in the afternoon.
Borough commander Lucy Macleod, who was at the scene, said: “Crews acted swiftly to bring the fire under control, but will remain on site this evening to damp down remaining hotspots.
“Road closures are currently in place, and there is significant congestion in the surrounding area. We urge the public to avoid the vicinity where possible while we continue to work to make the scene safe."
“One of the brigade’s 64-metre turntable ladders was used as an observation tower, providing a vantage point for incident commanders to assess the incident.
“We’re working closely with our partners to ensure support is available for residents affected by the incident.”
LFB mobilised crews from Whitechapel, Shadwell, Shoreditch, Dowgate, Bethnal Green and surrounding fire stations to the scene.
The fire brigade confirmed that the blaze was contained by 8pm.
