Huge fire breaks out in high rise block of offices and flats near London’s Aldgate East as more than 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines tackle the blaze
- Around 125 firefighters in 20 vehicles tackle inferno in Whitechapel High Street
- Blaze is located on the 17th floor of the high rise building of offices and flats
- Eyewitness has reported ‘glass panels dropping hundreds meters to ground’
- London Fire Brigade have said they are yet to determine the exact cause of fire
A huge fire has broken out in a block of flats and offices near London’s Algate East underground station – sending ‘glass panels crashing hundreds of meters to the ground’.
Around 125 firefighters in 20 vehicles are currently at the scene of the inferno on the 17th floor of a high rise building on Whitechapel High Street in Aldgate, east London.
The London Fire Brigade has attended the scene and confirmed they received more than 50 calls alerting them about the huge blaze inside the 21-storey building.
One eyewitness, known as Jamie, posted footage of the fire on Twitter and claimed ‘glass panels were falling to the ground’.
He wrote: ‘Huge fire in Aldgate. Huge glass panels falling hundreds of metres to the ground, awful scenes.’
Firefighters are yet to confirm the cause of the fire but have mobilised a 64m ladder at the scene of the incident.
A huge fire has broken out in a block of flats and offices near London’s Algate East underground station – sending ‘glass panels crashing hundreds of meters to the ground’
Around 125 firefighters in 20 vehicles are currently at the scene of the inferno on the 17th floor of the high rise building on Whitechapel High Street in Aldgate, east London
The London Ambulance Service also at the scene and posted on Twitter: ‘We are responding to a fire on Whitechapel High Street with our emergency service colleagues.
‘If you are in the local area, please try and stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed. More updates to follow.’
Witness Owen Willis told The Mirror: ‘From the eastern view, on Commercial Road, we can see a row of windows blown out with fire burning on the ceilings still.
‘It’s very windy so it looks like the smoke and flames are blowing all over the place.
‘Seems to be dying down a bit although that’s just what we can see from outside.’
The London Fire Brigade has attended the scene and confirmed they received more than 50 calls alerting them about the huge blaze inside the 21-storey building
Posting live updates on their website, the London Fire Brigade wrote: ‘Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters have been called to a fire at a block of flats on Whitechapel High Street.
‘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. The Brigade was called at 1553. Fire crews from Whitechapel, Shoreditch, Dowgate, Bethnal Green, Dockhead, Old Kent Road, Islington and surrounding fire stations are at the scene.
‘The cause of the fire is not known at this stage.’
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