Firefighters dealt with a small fire in a block of flats on Hornsey Rd in Holloway during the early hours of this morning.
A small section of a flat on the second floor was alight.
Firefighters helped five people escape via ladders and around 200 people left the building before the Brigade arrived.
Station Manager John Ryan who was at the scene said: “When crews arrived, although it was a small fire it was creating quite a bit of smoke and residents were understandably concerned. Firefighters used ladders to help five people down from the building and then quickly extinguished the fire.
“I want to reassure local residents that this was a small fire which we easily contained. Obviously, the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower is in everyone’s minds at the moment but there some simple steps that we can all do which will help keep us safe. Firstly, ensure your home has plenty of smoke alarms and test them regularly. If you discover a fire in your home, call 999 straight away and make sure you alert everyone in your household and close any doors behind you as you make your way out. This will help to slow the spread of fire and smoke through the property. ”
Smoke Alarms
As a minimum you should have at least one device fitted on the ceiling of every floor in your home, however, we recommend you fit one in every room you regularly use as well as in the hallway.
Ideal locations for smoke alarms include rooms where electrical equipment is left switched on, such as living rooms or bedrooms.
As well as fitting smoke alarms in your home, you should also fit a heat detector. These are designed for use in the kitchen and go off when a certain temperature is reached.
Do not place smoke alarms in kitchens or bathrooms as the steam can damage the unit or unintentionally activate it. You should also avoid fitting the devices on walls as this could result in a delay in the alarm activating because of the smoke needing to travel along the ceiling and down the walls.
8 fire engines are at the scene from stations including Holloway, Kentish Town, Soho, Shoreditch, Stoke Newington and Islington fire stations
The Brigade was called at 0129 and the fire was under control at 0330.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
