London Fire Brigade confirmed it was at the scene of a tower block blaze in Whitechapel High Street today.
There are as many as 15 engines and 125 firefighters in attendance.
The Brigade was called just before 4pm with crews from Whitechapel, Shoreditch, Dowgate, Bethnal Green, Dockhead, Old Kent Road, Islington and surrounding fire stations attending the scene.
A spokesperson said: “Crews are tackling a fire on the 17th floor of the building. The Brigade’s 64m ladder has been mobilised to the incident.
“The Brigade’s 999 Control Officers have taken more than 50 calls to the blaze.”
READ MORE: Whitechapel fire: Tower block residents claim not to have heard alarm
We continue to tackle the fire on #Whitechapel High Street. We used one of our 64 metre ladders (tallest in Europe) to get water onto the building from the outside. Please still avoid the area https://t.co/wyMmpNeYbp pic.twitter.com/74RqtP4Y55
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) March 7, 2022
London Ambulance Service advised people in Whitechapel to keep their windows closed and stay indoors as fire crews battle the blaze.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 4.07pm today (March 7) to reports of a fire at a high-rise building on Whitechapel High Street.
“We sent an ambulance crew, an incident response officer, a team leader in a fast response car and members of our hazardous area response team.
“We are working closely with our emergency service colleagues, more updates to follow.
“If you are in the local area, please try and stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed.”
We continue to tackle the fire on #Whitechapel High Street. We used one of our 64 metre ladders (tallest in Europe) to get water onto the building from the outside. Please still avoid the area https://t.co/wyMmpNeYbp pic.twitter.com/74RqtP4Y55
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) March 7, 2022
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the building was evacuated.
London mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “20 fire engines and more than 125 firefighters are working hard to tackle a fire at a block of flats and offices on Whitechapel High Street.
“I’m in close contact with the Fire Commissioner – please avoid the area and follow @LondonFire for updates.”
London Fire Brigade confirmed the fire was under control by 1907. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
READ MORE: Aldgate fire: Woman trapped in Whitechapel High Street blaze rescued by fire crews
Residents react to Whitechapel High Street fire
Among reactions to the tower block fire in Whitechapel today are residents saying they did not hear a fire alarm and were alerted to the situation by other people in the building. Read the full story here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here