Islington fire: More than 30 people evacuated as blaze rips through maisonette

More than 30 people had to be evacuated from a residential block in north London after a fire broke out in the early hours.

Around 60 firefighters and eight fire engines were scrambled to the blaze in Islington around 4.15am on Thursday.

A three-floor maisonette was on fire, with a blaze that had torn through the ground, first, and second floors.

“Around 35 residents were taken to a nearby rest centre,” said a spokesperson for London Fire Brigade (LFB). “There are no reports of any injuries.

“Half of the ground and first floors and part of the second floor were damaged by fire.”

Firefighters spent around an hour-and-a-half tackling the blaze, which was out by around 5.40am.

The cause of the fire is now under investigation.

The Brigade said that before firefighters arrived, officers from its 999 control room gave advice to residents on how to stay safe, using its Fire Survival Guidance (FSG) app.

"The Brigade's FSG app enables Control Officers to manage incidents like this one, where multiple people within a building have contacted the Brigade and require at times lifesaving advice on staying safe,” said a spokesperson.

"The app also allows information to be quickly and accurately exchanged between Control Officers and firefighters at the scene so safety advice can reflect any changes as the incident develops."