Fire residents spend night away

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Hundreds of people have spent the night in temporary accommodation after a huge fire destroyed homes in south London.

About 260 people have been housed by the local council following the fire in Peckham on Thursday.

In total 310 people had to leave their homes after a construction site fire spread and destroyed at least 30 maisonettes and a pub.

Ten people, including two police officers, received hospital treatment for minor injuries.

At its height more than 150 firefighters tackled the fire which broke out Carisbrooke Gardens at 0430 GMT.

A rest centre has been opened at the nearby Damilola Taylor Centre.

Steve Lewis is one of the residents whose house went up in flames.

He told BBC London 94.9FM: "I have lost personal things, pictures, wedding pictures, all those sort of things - and that is more frustrating than anything else."

There have been a number of similar fires across the UK Chief Fire Officers Association statement <a class="" href="/local/london/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8380000/8380151.stm">In pictures: Peckham fire</a> <a class="" href="/2/hi/talking_point/8381655.stm">Your stories of the fire</a>

Inspections are taking place to assess whether some residents can return to their homes, the council said.

The British Red Cross is supporting people who cannot return home.

Jonathan Edmondson, from the charity, said: "We know from past experience that people evacuated from their homes will not only be feeling shocked and upset, but will need practical items like clean clothes, a toothbrush and warm blankets, so the Red Cross have these items ready and we'll be there as long as we're needed."

Southwark Council said Carisbrooke Gardens, on the Willowbrook Estate, and nearby Oak Court, a mixed development of council and housing association homes, were damaged by the fire.

The fire will be investigated by the Health and Safety Executive because it started on a building site.

But the Chief Fire Officers Association said it was becoming increasingly concerned about the number and severity of fires in timber-framed buildings under construction.

In a statement it said: "The devastating fire in Peckham, south London, clearly illustrates the major problems caused not only to surrounding buildings but also through the rapid fire spread within the buildings themselves. There have been a number of similar fires across the UK."