London building erupts in flames, exposing safety failures

More than 200 firefighters are battling a large fire at a mixed-use residential and commercial building in Dagenham, east London. The blaze, which broke out early Monday morning, has led to a major search and rescue operation.

As Sky News reports, over 100 people, including children, have been evacuated from the building, which the London Fire Brigade described as having "a number of fire safety issues." A planning application from 2023 indicated that the building was clad with "non-compliant" materials. Scaffolding had been erected around the structure to remove the cladding when the fire started.

The fire was first reported at 2:44 a.m., and emergency services arrived within five minutes. In total, 40 fire engines and 225 firefighters were deployed to the scene. Four people received treatment on-site, and two were transported to a hospital, according to the London Ambulance Service. The entire building, including the scaffolding and roof, has been affected by the fire.

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe confirmed that a "full simultaneous evacuation" of the building was immediately carried out, utilizing drones and 64-meter turntable ladders to tackle the flames. Pockets of fire continued to burn on the roof into Monday morning.

Dinesh Raj, whose daughter was at a sleepover in the building, described the frantic evacuation: "I got a call around 3 a.m., so I came and picked them up. They smelled smoke around 3 a.m. and learned there was a fire. They managed to grab the baby and my daughter and get out of the building."

Another resident, Mohammed, told Sky News that he was awoken in the early hours but did not hear a fire alarm. He quickly evacuated in just shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops, seeing other residents similarly dressed or barely clothed.

Local MP Margaret Mullane stated that injuries from the fire were "minimal" and that she would be visiting the rest center later in the day. A rest center has been set up at Becontree Heath Leisure Centre for displaced residents.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper thanked the emergency services for their swift response and expressed her concern for those affected. "My thoughts are with all those impacted by the major fire incident in Dagenham," she said in a statement.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but a fire enforcement notice issued in April 2023 cited a "failure to provide and/or maintain adequate and clearly indicated emergency routes and exits." It is unclear if these issues had been addressed.

Residents in the area have been advised to keep windows and doors closed due to the heavy smoke. Emergency services remain on the scene as efforts to extinguish the fire continue.

[Information sourced from Sky News]