A WOMAN has been rushed to hospital and others treated at the scene after a huge fire broke out at a tower block this afternoon,
Around 70 firefighters scrambled to the scene of a horror blaze on the eleventh floor of a 17-storey building in South London.
The fire is in Walworth and the “highly visible” blaze caused thick clouds of smoke to stream into the sky.
A woman managed to flee the property before fire crews arrived.
The London Fire Brigade have now confirmed a woman taken to hospital and treated.
Two other people were treated on scene, while residents in the building told how they’d seen plumes of smoke rising past their windows.
Speaking to The Sun, Alana O’Sullivan said: “The alarms didn’t go off until people saw smoke.
“All the alarms went off on the 10th and 11th so they bashed doors in to see if people were in.
“No one will let us know anything. It’s kind of hearsay at the moment.”
Monica, a resident on the fourth floor of the building, shared: “I simply heard neighbors knocking on each other’s doors, possibly from the 9th or 10th floor.”
“Someone knocked on the door, when I looked I didn’t see anyone.
“I returned to work and chose to pick up something from the store. As I took the stairs, around the second floor, I saw the fire brigade rushing up.”
“When I came out I saw the blaze, the smoke and the fire.
“We don’t know when we’re going back in, what caused it or anything.
“The actual flat that it happened is just black.”
The LFB have asked people to steer clear of the building as they work to extinguish the fire.
They received the first of more than 40 frantic calls reporting the blaze just before 2pm and 10 fire engines were deployed.
Another resident, Frank Costello, said: “I was just coming back from the park.
“I saw smoke going past the window. My neighbour started shouting fire and then her alarms went off.”
Emily Duff, who was also out when the fire occurred, added: “I wasn’t home I was at work.
“Thank god I have nice neighbours who called me.
“I’ve had to pick my son up from school, it sounds like they’ve broken my door down to get access.
“I’m interested to see how Southwark council will react.”
Station Commander Tony Perks said: “This was a very visible fire, and the area became increasingly busy as a result.
“People are advised to continue to avoid the area at this time, while crews damp down remaining hot spots.”
The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
The fire was under control by 3pm, according to the LFB.
