Fire Breaks Out at Deptford Flats, Evacuation Underway
A fire erupted at a block of flats on Childers Street in Deptford, London, on Tuesday evening, prompting a large response from the London Fire Brigade. As of Wednesday morning, the fire is under control, but crews remain on scene to fully extinguish the blaze and dampen hotspots.
Incident Details
The London Fire Brigade received the first of 15 emergency calls at 19:00 on Tuesday. Six fire engines and approximately 40 firefighters were dispatched from Deptford, Recent Cross, Old Kent Road, and surrounding stations to tackle the fire. Several balconies of the six-storey building were alight, making the fire highly visible and prompting numerous calls from the public, including those travelling on a nearby railway line [London Fire Brigade].
The fire was brought under control by 20:04. The building was fully evacuated as a precaution, and, crucially, there have been no reports of injuries [London Fire Brigade].
Previous Incidents on Childers Street
This is not the first time a fire has occurred at this location. In May 2020, a significant blaze broke out at the same address, with around 80 firefighters and 12 fire engines responding to the scene. That fire involved half of a top-floor flat and part of the roof, and prompted 35 emergency calls [The Independent], [London Fire Brigade – 2020]. The cause of that fire was determined to be a barbecue on a balcony [Southwark News], leading Amazon to remove balcony BBQs from sale.
Ongoing Investigation
The cause of the current fire is under investigation. Authorities have not yet released any information regarding potential causes. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
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