Two people have been taken to hospital after an explosion at a terraced house in north-east London, London Fire Brigade (LFB) has said.
Footage on social media showed a massive explosion at Alford’s house – which has been converted into flats – with chunks of masonry being thrown into the street.
The LFB sent eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters to tackle the blaze in Ley Street, just after 16:00 GMT.
The brigade said the first floor and loft conversion were “fully ablaze” at the height of the fire. The extent of the injuries suffered by the two people who were taken to the hospital is not known.
Station Commander Darren McTernan, who was at the scene, said: “Firefighters worked hard to bring this blaze under control. Crews will remain at the scene throughout the evening.
“Lee Street is closed between Eastern Avenue and Vicarage Road, affecting traffic in the surrounding area, so please avoid the area if possible.”
The fire was brought under control by 18:23. The cause is being investigated.
A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We sent resources including ambulance crews, an advanced paramedic practitioner, an incident response officer and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).
“We treated three people. We took two to the hospital and released the third at the scene.”