FAMILIES were evacuated when a suspicious blaze broke out in a cash-and-carry store in London’s East End. Police had to close of the main A13 Commercial Road in Stepney just before midnight on Saturday through to the early hours of yesterday while four emergency fire crews tackled the blaze

By Mike Brooke

FAMILIES were evacuated in the middle of the night when a suspicious blaze broke out in a cash-and-carry store in London's East End.

Police had to close of the main A13 Commercial Road in Stepney just before midnight on Saturday through to the early hours of yesterday while four emergency fire crews tackled the blaze.

They had to evacuate 20 people from properties either side as smoke seeped through the three-storey terraced building.

The store and the first floor rooms above were badly damaged, including goods, but no-one was injured. The alarm was raised by a passer-by who saw flames on the first floor. Westbound traffic was diverted before Commercial Road was reopened at 4am.

Fire investigators said the cause of the blaze was suspicious.