Flat fire - Redbridge

Five fire engines and around 35 firefighters were called to a fire at a block of flats on Liston Way in Woodford Green.

Part of a room in a flat on the ninth floor was damaged in the blaze.

Two men left the property before the Brigade arrived. A further forty people in the block also evacuated before crews arrived. One man was treated on scene by London Ambulance Service crews and taken to hospital. 

The Brigade's Fire Investigators believe the fire was caused by cooking which was left unattended. 

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Cooking is one of the most common causes of fire in the home.

“We would like to remind the public to never leave cooking unattended – if you have to leave the room or the house, turn the heat off."

Firefighters' top tips for cooking safely:

• Never leave cooking unattended. If you leave the room, turn the heat off
• Keep saucepan handles out of reach from children, pets and in a position that won’t be easily knocked over
• Double check the cooker and hob are turned off when you have finished cooking
• Keep ovens, hobs, cooker hoods, extractor fans and grills clean- built up fat and grease can ignite easily
• Never fill a pan more than a third full with oil 
• If you have been drinking alcohol, are tired or are feeling unwell, don’t cook. It is always safer to order a takeaway or eat something that doesn’t require cooking

The Brigade was called at 1359 and the fire was under control by 1507. Fire crews from Hainault, Leytonstone, Woodford, Chingford and Ilford fire stations attended the scene.