The Metropolitan Police are investigating the cause of a Leytonstone flat fire which claimed a man's life.

The fire broke out at a flat on the first floor of a terraced house converted into flats in Cheneys Road, Leytonstone.

Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Leytonstone, Leyton, Stratford and Homerton fire stations were called to the blaze at 12.24am on Monday, January 25.

Firefighters found one man in the flat who was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man had left the building before the brigade arrived and was taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation by London Ambulance Service crews.

Part of a flat was damaged by the fire which was reported under control by 2.03am.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police Service.