Dozens of firefighters battle blaze in 12th floor flat at an East London tower block

Around 60 firefighters are tackling a blaze on the 12th floor of a tower block in east London. 

Smoke billowed into the sky after the fire broke out in a flat in Grafton House, one of two 22-storey housing blocks in Mile End.

Six fire engines were called in from the around the area after flames were seen leaping up the side of the building and smoke was visible from around London.

London fire brigade said around 40 people fled their homes in the block and the fire was under control within an hour and a half of their arrival. 

More than 90 people called 999 over the fire, with the capital on a heightened sense of alert as shocking details emerge of the Grenfell Tower fire at the ongoing inquiry. 


London Fire Brigade said they got the blaze under control shortly before 2pm, around an hour and a half after it was reported.

A spokesman said: 'Eight fire engines and 58 firefighters and officers were called to a flat fire in Wellington Way, Mile End.

'Half of a flat on the 12th floor was alight. Around 40 people left the building before the Brigade arrived. The Brigade's 999 Control Officers took more than 90 calls to the fire.

'The Brigade was called at 1228 and the fire was under control at 1351. Fire crews from Bethnal Green, Shadwell, Stratford, Whitechapel and surrounding fire stations are at the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.'

Grafton House has 130 flats spread over its 22 floors. It was built in 1970 and has one central staircase and two lifts.

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: 'We were called a 12.36pm today to Wellington Way, Mile End, to reports of a fire.

'We sent an incident response officer and an ambulance crew to the scene. We also dispatched our hazardous area response team (HART). We assessed three people at the scene but did not take them to hospital.' 





MailOnline