Dozens of firefighters were called to tackle a blazing fire in a residential block of flats in central London, resulting in four people being rushed to the hospital.

Footage shows a raging fire in a flat on the third floor of a 22-storey residential block on Commercial Street in Spitalfields, Tower Hamlets. Around 60 firefighters and eight fire engines attended the scene this afternoon, with onlookers reporting a response time of around 10 minutes.

One woman was led to safety by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, and a further three people were treated on scene by London Ambulance Service. All four people were taken to the hospital as a precaution.

The London Fire Brigade said a four-room flat was destroyed by the fire, and a balcony and part of the roof were also damaged.

I was working near the building, and we noticed there was a fire across the road,” said an onlooker. “There were loads of people watching and nobody knew what was happening.”

While the origin of the fire is still unknown and under investigation, bystanders claim that the flames were extinguished within 45 minutes after control officers received 21 calls related to the fire. The fire brigade used a 32-meter turntable ladder to help fight the fire from above.

Crews from Shoreditch, Dowgate, Euston, and surrounding stations attended the scene, with firefighters seen in the footage investigating the charred interior of the flat.

Local councillor Kabir Hussain posted on X to express his gladness that everyone was okay as he did not want a repeat of “Grenfell Tower”. “There was a fire in Denning Point today. All the residents are safe and sound. Officers are on-site to investigate. We do not want to repeat another Grenfell Tower tragedy in Tower Hamlets.

One bystander said, “People were really concerned about it spreading – nobody knew what was going to happen. There were loads of firefighters and thankfully they caught it before it managed to spread.”

Road closures between Commercial Street and Aldgate High remain in place, impacting the surrounding area. The public is urged to avoid the area. Bus route diversions are also in place and are expected to remain so for the rest of the afternoon.

A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said: “There are significant road closures between Commercial Street and Aldgate High Street which are impacting the surrounding area. People are advised to continue to avoid the area if they can.

“One of the Brigade’s 32-meter turntable ladders was used at the scene as an observation tower to help fight the fire from above. Control Officers took 21 calls regarding the blaze. The first was received at 11:39 am and the fire was under control by 12:21 pm. Crews from Shoreditch, Dowgate, Euston, and surrounding fire stations are attending the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”