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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Aldgate fire: Large blaze at high-rise London tower block | Aldgate fire: Large blaze at high-rise London tower block |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The fire is on the 17th floor of the block of flats and offices | The fire is on the 17th floor of the block of flats and offices |
| A large fire has started in a high-rise block of flats and offices in east London, with footage showing burning debris falling to the ground. | A large fire has started in a high-rise block of flats and offices in east London, with footage showing burning debris falling to the ground. |
| More than 125 firefighters are at the tower on Whitechapel High Street, in Aldgate East, with London Fire Brigade (LFB) asking people to avoid the area. | More than 125 firefighters are at the tower on Whitechapel High Street, in Aldgate East, with London Fire Brigade (LFB) asking people to avoid the area. |
| Large flames could be seen fanning out of the 17th floor of the building. | Large flames could be seen fanning out of the 17th floor of the building. |
| One eyewitness tweeted: "Huge fire in #aldgate huge glass panels falling 100s of metres to the ground, awful scenes." | One eyewitness tweeted: "Huge fire in #aldgate huge glass panels falling 100s of metres to the ground, awful scenes." |
| We're dealing with this fire on #WhiteChapel High Street. Ten fire engines & 70 firefighters are at the scene. Please avoid the area if possible. https://t.co/KM59RSlaK4 | We're dealing with this fire on #WhiteChapel High Street. Ten fire engines & 70 firefighters are at the scene. Please avoid the area if possible. https://t.co/KM59RSlaK4 |
| Some 20 fire engines are at the scene and firefighters are using a ladder, which can reach 64m (210ft). | Some 20 fire engines are at the scene and firefighters are using a ladder, which can reach 64m (210ft). |
| The Metropolitan Police said the building was being evacuated. There have not been any reports of injuries. | The Metropolitan Police said the building was being evacuated. There have not been any reports of injuries. |
| London Ambulance Service has advised people to keep their windows closed and stay indoors. | London Ambulance Service has advised people to keep their windows closed and stay indoors. |
| Police have been evacuating the building | Police have been evacuating the building |
| Some roads in the area are closed, with Whitechapel High Street shut between Commercial Road and Old Castle Street. Commercial Road is also closed. | Some roads in the area are closed, with Whitechapel High Street shut between Commercial Road and Old Castle Street. Commercial Road is also closed. |
| The fire service said the cause of the blaze was not yet known. | The fire service said the cause of the blaze was not yet known. |
| Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was in close contact with Fire Commissioner Andy Roe regarding updates and suggested Londoners "follow @LondonFire for updates". | Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was in close contact with Fire Commissioner Andy Roe regarding updates and suggested Londoners "follow @LondonFire for updates". |
| The building is a 22-storey mixed use development of commercial office space and 207 residential apartments, according to property developer Hondo Enterprises, which sold the building in 2018. | |
| It is located over Aldgate East Tube Station between the City - the financial heart of London - and neighbourhoods Aldgate and Spitalfields. | It is located over Aldgate East Tube Station between the City - the financial heart of London - and neighbourhoods Aldgate and Spitalfields. |
| At the scene | At the scene |
| BBC Radio London's Helen Hoddinott | BBC Radio London's Helen Hoddinott |
| As soon as I got out of the Tube, the doors opened and you could smell the thick smoke in the air. | As soon as I got out of the Tube, the doors opened and you could smell the thick smoke in the air. |
| Seventeen floors up, the smoke is billowing out of a gap in the building. Four floors above that, the building is charred with smoke. | Seventeen floors up, the smoke is billowing out of a gap in the building. Four floors above that, the building is charred with smoke. |
| There's a huge presence from the emergency services here. | There's a huge presence from the emergency services here. |
| The London Fire Brigade has brought their biggest crane of 64 metres. There are two firefighters making very slow progress towards the fire. | The London Fire Brigade has brought their biggest crane of 64 metres. There are two firefighters making very slow progress towards the fire. |
| People are being told to avoid the area, but there are big crowds gathering to look up at the smoke. | People are being told to avoid the area, but there are big crowds gathering to look up at the smoke. |
| Smoke can be seen for miles around | Smoke can be seen for miles around |
| The building is closed to Aldgate East Tube station | The building is closed to Aldgate East Tube station |
| Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk |