Around 150 people were forced to evacuate from a tower block in east London after a building with “known fire safety issues” caught fire.
A fire broke out at a tower block in east London on Tuesday, making it the third blaze to take place in the same development in recent years.
Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters were called to a flat fire at New Providence Wharf in Poplar at around 8.45pm on Tuesday evening after the blaze was started by a cigarette.
Half of a balcony on the 13th floor of the 19-storey building was damaged by fire, the London Fire Brigade said.
Footage of the fire showed bright orange flames tearing through the balcony metres away from where a skyscraper caught fire last year.
🎥Anay Patel. pic.twitter.com/pE4d1aMsrK
— Crime Scene Images London (@csi_london) May 6, 2025
Another flat fire broke out on the 25th floor of a 45-storey building, which is also part of New Providence Wharf, in August.
At the time witnesses described how flames engulfed an entire balcony, shattering glass and sending debris crashing to the ground during the fire, which was also started by someone smoking.
It follows a third fire at the east London development in 2021, when a serious failure of the smoke ventilation system meant residents’ only escape route was smoke-logged.
Two people needed hospital treatment after suffering the effects of smoke inhalation, and another 38 adults and four children were treated at the scene after a fire ripped through the 19-storey at the development.
Following the most recent fire on Tuesday, the London Fire Brigade said one man from the flat was affected, along with a further two people who were inside the building.
They were taken to hospital by paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and their injuries were not considered to be serious.
London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Pam Oparaocha said: “Firefighters worked quickly and professionally to bring this incident to a safe conclusion.
“Our Control Officers immediately mobilised five fire engines along with a fire rescue unit and 32-metre turntable ladder, which is our standard response for fires at high-rise buildings.
“The first crews were on scene within three minutes. Due to the volume of calls being received, as the fire was very visible, three further appliances were sent before the initial Incident Commander requested further resources following an assessment of the situation.
“Thanks to quick and decisive actions by firefighters, the damage from the fire was restricted to the flat’s balcony and a door leading out on to it, with the fire brought under control within 25 minutes of arrival.
“This building has known fire safety issues and control measures are in place in the event of a fire. Once it became apparent there was a fire, on-site staff took the correct course of action and carried out a swift evacuation of around 150 people from the building before firefighters arrived.
“After the fire was extinguished, the Incident Commander spoke to residents and answered any questions they had about the incident.
“Whilst significant improvements have been made to this building since the large fire that occurred in May 2021, and this was evident during yesterday’s incident, we continue to work closely with the responsible persons to ensure that the safety of residents remains a priority.”
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters have been called to a fire in #Blackwall.
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 26, 2024
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The London Fire Brigade received 30 calls alerting them to the fire. They deployed crews from Poplar, Millwall, Plaistow, Shadwell and surrounding fire stations.
The Brigade was first called at 8.47pm and the fire was under control around half an hour later.
The New Providence Wharf is home to 1,535 flats, stretching back 400 metres from the River Thames, according to its developer Ballymore’s website.
Ballymore told the Standard that extensive remediation works have been undertaken on “Building A” and all ACM cladding was removed from the site by December 2021.
The company explained that there is no link between the previous fires at the development.
A spokesperson for Ballymore said: “A fire incident occurred at Block E, Building A, in the New Providence Wharf development in Blackwall on 6 May 2025.
“The London Fire Brigade arrived quickly onsite and took appropriate steps to extinguish the fire and evacuate residents where necessary, in line with the building’s agreed fire safety protocol.
“The fire was limited to furniture on a balcony and did not spread into the building.
“The safety of residents is our priority. BAML personnel were quickly on site to assist residents, and the building’s fire safety systems activated quickly, effectively, and as designed.
“The cause of the fire is not yet known. We will continue to work closely with the London Fire Brigade as the cause of the fire is investigated.”
