The public was asked to evacuate part of Whitehorse Road last night, as the road was shut off while around 60 firefighters tackled a blaze at a five-storey block of flats.
Rapid fire: social media posts showed the fire spreading quickly through the flats
More than 80 people in the flats were impacted by the fire, according to official sources.
Two flats and two balconies on the first and second floors of the building were destroyed by fire. Most of a third-floor flat and balcony were also damaged by the blaze.
There were no reports of any injuries, according to a statement from London Fire Brigade. Two people were treated at the scene by the London Ambulance Service.
Affected residents of the block, owned by Southern Housing – which includes what used to be the Optivo housing association – were offered emergency overnight accommodation, while Croydon Council opened a local care centre “to provide respite for those who need it”.
Jason Perry, Mayor of Croydon, tweeted last night, “I want to thank all of the blue-light services who responded so quickly to the fire in a Southern HOusing block on Whitehouse Road this evening.
“Though the fire was serious, we believe that no residents have needed to be taken to hospital.”
The Fire Brigade says that the cause of the fire is not yet known and is under investigation. Images and video shared in real-time on social media showed tall flames lapping up the outside of the building, torching up balconies which were made with external wooden slatting.
Embers: two flats were completely destroyed in the blaze
Adults and children were seen running from the flats as the fire spread quickly.
“We had to clear the area due to the smoke,” an eye witness told the Press Association news agency.
According to the LFB, eight fire engines were called out, and one of its 32-metre turntable ladders was used as a water tower to get water on to the building externally.
Station Commander Chris Young, who was at the scene, said: “Around 80 people left the building, thankfully uninjured.”
The Brigade was called at just after 5pm and the fire was under control by 6.45pm after crews from Croydon, Woodside, Wallington and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.
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ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SIXTH successive year in 2022 in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine
Wooden balconies implicated in spreading fire again. From memory there was a similar incident in Barking last year. Yet another building regulation fail.
And in Thornton Heath, Del
Croydon fire live: Residents escape fire at flats on St James’s Road as 60 firefighters battle on. This was the headline regarding the fire at St James Road. One person was still upstairs when brigade arrived another on the street in just underclothes and lucky to escape. Apparantly no fire alarms and faulty wiring. Inspections, Building control? Council action on Landlord? Landlord blamed tenant – ?? Faulty wiring is faulty wiring and not a tenant issue
Cafe opposite ET on London road. Croydon cafe owner fined £60k after man dies on cafe. I think this was in the flat at the back. Again same questions of council departments. Same silence. Both of these preventable when Councils and Councillors take duties seriously and implement controls, Perry and Kerswell now going via a slimmed down services route.
Once again I have to point out would people in this area notice the difference?
It is a basic requirement for society to have competent consistent and mostly effective services. If it does not it no longer functions as a society. In many wards society has already broken down.
Again Kerswell £6k? Even that is a travesty for what has been delivered,( please include those relevent others already evidence for their non delivery.)
Remember those buildings all passed the Building inspection of building control – all passed the Council planning departments conditions and the environmental controls etc.
So how many of those four had any council person visit and inspect?
No wonder even the Conservatives are loooking at this countries apparantly toothless regulators. They should include this Councils administration and investigate how this keeps happening in the Borough despite Council processes to prevent this.