Eleven taken to hospital after east London fire
Eleven people have been taken to hospital following a fire at a flat in east London.
About 60 firefighters tackled the blaze on Cornwall Avenue in Bethnal Green shortly before midnight on Wednesday, bringing it under control by 01:05 BST on Thursday.
Neighbours, who described hearing residents screaming, praised the response of London Ambulance Service which treated 17 people at the scene.
Yasin, who lives in a block of flats opposite the fire, said: "We could tell it was going to be bad because the flames reached up to the fourth floor. My prayers are with all the neighbours because it's a very tight community. I hope everyone's OK and we'll pray for the best for them."
London Fire Brigade (LFB) sent crews from Shadwell, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green and Poplar.
It said the cause of the fire was under investigation.
LFBRob Lane, chief property officer for Clarion, which is responsible for the block, said: "Our staff have been at Bradbeer House since the early hours of this morning supporting residents and organising emergency accommodation.
"Our priority right now is our residents' wellbeing and we have teams supporting them.
"We thank the LFB for their efforts to extinguish the fire and the council for their support and are working closely with them and other key partners to understand what has happened and get residents back to their homes as quickly as possible."
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, advanced paramedics and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team.
"We treated 17 patients in total. We took 11 patients to hospital and six patients were cared for and discharged at the scene."
Tower Hamlets Council said a rest centre had been established to provide immediate support for residents.
A spokesperson said: "Vulnerable residents received dedicated care, and alternative accommodation, including hotel placements, was arranged for those who were displaced."
They added that the housing association for the building, Clarion Housing, would lead recovery efforts but the council would "provide support where needed and assist in ensuring the safe return of residents to their homes".
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