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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Lorraine King

Battersea fire: Woman and child rushed to hospital after huge London tower block blaze

A woman and child were rushed to hospital after a large fire broke out at a tower block in south London.

Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters are tackling the huge blaze at the 20-storey building in Battersea.

The crews from from Battersea, Fulham, Wandsworth, North Kensington and surrounding fire stations were called to the scene just after 8pm.

Dramatic footage shows flames coming out of the flat which is on the top floor of the block.

An 18-year-old who lives in a flat in the block with her parents said the whole building shook before she heard the sound of glass shattered.

A woman inside the flat escaped the blaze before fire crews arrived (@DarnSz/Twitter)

She told the Mirror: "It's a big building so to feel it shake the way it did was frightening.

"I looked out the window and saw cars were covered with broken glass so I knew something serious had happened and I had to get out of the building.

"I didn't know there was a fire so got into a lift which was full of other people leaving the building."

She realised a flat was on fire when she got outside and saw the flames leaping out of the flat.

Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters tackled the blaze (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

"Neighbours were screaming 'there's a fire, there's a fire' and as I looked up I saw the top floor flat was ablaze.

"Every couple of seconds there would be a popping sound and the flames would get bigger and bigger. It was very scary.

"I can see Grenfell from my bedroom window so feared the worst but the firefighters contained the fire in the flat and it was under control quickly.

"Our flat is ok so we were allowed to return back home."

London Fire Brigade said in a statement: "Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters have been called to a fire at a block of flats on Westbridge Road in Battersea.

"A flat on the 20th floor is alight. One woman left the affected flat before the Brigade arrived. She is being assessed for smoke inhalation at the scene."

Station Commander Pete Johnson, who is at the scene, added: "Crews were faced with a lot of smoke issuing from the top of a block of flats on arrival.

"There was also lots of visible flame which has prompted a high number of calls to our Control Officers.

50 residents fled before fire crews arrived (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

"Firefighters are working hard to bring the fire under control.

"There are a number of road closures in place."

Around 50 people, including a woman inside the blazing flat, left the building before fire crews arrived

The fire was declared to be under control at around 9.05pm.

A woman and a child were rushed to hospital (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Student Ishika Deb, 20, who lives in a neighbouring block of flats, said: "I heard a bang and glass smashing. I went out and saw there was glass on the floor.

"Then I heard a bang and looked up and saw fire."

She said she heard a couple of bangs then noticed that "ash was coming out".

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