Two elderly people had to be rescued from a tower block on the Trelawney Estate this morning after a fire in a 10th floor flat.
Six engines and 35 firefighters were sent to the block in Paragon Road, while Morning Lane was also blocked off by the emergency services.
The woman in the flat where the fire started called 999 just before 8.15am when her smoke alarm went off.
Station manager Matt Burrows said: “The resident acted quickly and did exactly the right thing. Upon hearing her smoke alarm and discovering the fire, she got out, closed the door behind her and called 999.
“Around 60 people left the building before the arrival of the Brigade. A number of further residents remained in their unaffected flats.”
One man had to be led to safety from his ninth floor flat by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, as did a woman who was on the 11th floor. Both were treated at the scene by medics.
Crews from Homerton, Bethnal Green, Stoke Newington, Shoreditch and Islington were sent to the scene and brought the fire under control by 9.20am.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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