Five people have been rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital after a blaze at a restaurant in Ilford, east London.
Police, paramedics and firefighters were called to the fire on Woodford Avenue in Gants Hill at about 9pm on Friday.
Part of the ground floor was damaged by fire and firefighters rescued five people from the restaurant, while nine others were able to get out beforehand, London Fire Brigade said.
Five people were treated for burns and smoke inhalation, two of them were taken to a major trauma centre and three were taken to local hospitals, London Ambulance Service said.
Huge thanks to @metpoliceuk @LondonFire @Ldn_Ambulance for their response to a serious incident on Gants Hill/Woodford Avenue this evening.
— Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) August 22, 2025
Please avoid the area for now. Further updates will follow from @RedbridgeLive and emergency services.
The cause of the blaze is being investigated by firefighters and the Metropolitan Police.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 9.04pm yesterday to reports of a fire on Woodford Avenue, Ilford.
“We sent resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, an advanced paramedic, an incident response officer and paramedics from our hazardous area response team. We also dispatched a trauma team in a car from London’s Air Ambulance.
“We treated five people for burns and smoke inhalation. We took two patients to a major trauma centre and three others to local hospitals.”
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “We were called at 9.02pm to reports of a fire at a restaurant on Woodford Avenue in Gants Hill.
“Part of the ground floor restaurant was damaged by fire. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued five people from the restaurant. They were all taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service. Around nine further people were able to leave the restaurant before firefighters arrived.
“The brigade’s control officers received seven calls about the fire and mobilised crews from Ilford, Hainault, Leytonstone and Woodford fire stations to the scene. The fire was extinguished by 10.32pm.
“The cause of the fire is being investigated by the brigade and the Metropolitan Police Service.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who is the MP for Ilford North, posted on X saying: “Huge thanks to @metpoliceuk @LondonFire @Ldn_Ambulance for their response to a serious incident on Gants Hill/Woodford Avenue this evening.
“Please avoid the area for now. Further updates will follow from @RedbridgeLive and emergency services.”
