Sixty residents evacuated as east London hostel gutted by fire

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing

Sixty residents were evacuated when a hostel was gutted by fire in east London yesterday evening.

The blaze in a one-room flat, part of a 10-storey block in Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, was caused by a cigarette being left to burn.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “We believe the fire was caused by a cigarette that was left unattended.
"Cigarettes can cause a huge amount of fire damage if they’re not properly disposed of. Hundreds of fires are caused by cigarettes each year in London and many of them could be easily avoided if smokers took better care.

“Thankfully the flats had  working smoke alarms that quickly alerted the residents to the fire. Having a smoke alarm is essential as it provides vital early warning if a fire breaks out and allows you to get out in time.”

Six fire engines and around 30 firefighters were called to the fire. No-one was injured.