Earlier today at around 1:30pm, a fire was ablaze in the third floor of a flat in Church Street, Stoke Newington. There were 35 firefighters and 6 fire trucks present. Smoke was rising up into the air and its smell was identifiable before you could even see the blaze. Over 20 people made 999 calls concerning the fire. Fire hoses were trailing on the floor in many places, carrying much needed water to be used by the fire fighters and police tape was reeled out to keep citizens out of harm’s way. Citizens from around the flat and from within it were evacuated although Stoke Newington Secondary School was not but the students were deemed safe.
At the scene, I got the chance to speak to London Fire Brigade member, group manager Martin Freeman. He said it was quite a “serious fire” which resulted in “local fire station personnel then requesting additional resources due to the severity of the fire”. However after “2 to 3 hours the fire was under control and soon to be out”. The cause of the fire itself is “under investigation in present time and they (police and fire brigade) will make sure to investigate the cause fully”. Freeman also stated that there was “no reason to think it was anything more than an accident”. Luckily, “nobody was injured and nobody was taken to hospital”. Hopefully the cause will quickly be identified and those who have been affected can gain the help they need.
Aishah Islam, City and Islington College
