More than 150 firefighters are battling two major blazes in London on Tuesday night, as the London Fire Brigade (LFB) deals with simultaneous incidents at an office block in Old Street and a residential building in Clapton.
According to the London Fire Brigade’s official account on X, twelve fire engines and around 80 firefighters were called to a fire involving a lower floor at an office in Old Street late on Tuesday evening. The brigade urged the public to stay away from the area while crews worked to bring the flames under control.
“Please avoid the area whilst crews work to extinguish the fire,” the LFB wrote in a post shortly after 9.45pm.
The incident in the busy commercial district came less than half an hour after the brigade had already mobilised a substantial response to a separate fire several miles north in Hackney.
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were sent to Mount Pleasant Lane in Clapton, where flames had taken hold of a block of maisonettes. The first 999 call was received at 8.04pm, according to information published on the brigade’s website. A 32-metre turntable ladder was deployed at the scene, with crews drawn from Stoke Newington, Tottenham, Homerton and surrounding fire stations.
The fire produced what the brigade described as a significant amount of smoke, prompting officials to issue a warning to nearby residents.
“People in the area are advised to keep their windows and doors closed due to smoke travel,” the LFB confirmed in a public update.
A rest centre has been set up locally for residents affected by the Clapton fire. The London Fire Brigade said it was working alongside Hackney Council and partner agencies to support those displaced from their homes.
Between the two incidents, around 22 fire engines and approximately 150 firefighters have been deployed across the capital within the space of an hour. The scale of the simultaneous response underscores the demands placed on the LFB, which is the largest fire and rescue service in the United Kingdom.
The brigade has not yet confirmed the cause of either fire or whether anyone has been injured. Investigations are expected to follow once the incidents have been brought under control.
Members of the public seeking further information have been directed to the LFB’s incident page on its official website. Anyone who needs to report an emergency is reminded to dial 999.
