Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters have been called to a fire at a hostel on Guildford Street in Bloomsbury.
A small part of the basement was damaged by fire in the four storey building. Three residents at the hostel were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service suffering from smoke inhalation. A further two residents made their own way to hospital also suffering from smoke inhalation.
The Brigade's 999 Control officers received their first call at 0506 about the fire and fire crews from Soho, Islington, Shoreditch, Euston, Dowgate and Kentish Town. The incident was over by 0625.
The Brigade's fire investigators found the cause of the fire to be accidental and due to a build up of lint in a tumble dryer.