Five people were taken to hospital last night after a carbon monoxide leak in Dalston.

A total of 21 residents were evacuated from a four-storey block in Kingsland Road, where firefighters were called shortly before 11pm.

Two pregnant women, two small children and man were hospitalised after they were found to have with elevated carbon monoxide readings.

The remainder were checked by crews from London Ambulance Service and did not require further treatment.

Crews from Islington, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green and Lewisham fire stations swept the building and declared it safe when they found no high readings of the lethal gas.

Shoreditch Watch Manager Mark Lanaway, who was at the scene, said it was vital residents kept carbon monoxide detectors in their homes.

“Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, with least 50 deaths nationally recorded every year as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning,” he said.

“Despite this, the majority of people still do not have a carbon monoxide detector in their home. It is vital that everyone has a carbon monoxide alarm in addition to smoke alarms.”