Half of Tower Hamlets’ six fire stations are at risk of closure as budget cuts bite, Labour councillors have warned.

Bow and Whitechapel fire stations have already been earmarked as at risk of closure, but gloomy new predictions say Bethnal Green and Poplar stations may also be under threat.

The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority is considering whether to either close Whitechapel and Bow fire stations and lose four fire engines, or close Bethnal Green, Poplar and Whitechapel stations and lose three engines.

Labour’s spokesman for a safer borough, cllr Abdal Ullah, said: “To propose closing two fire stations in Tower Hamlets was dangerous but now to see up to three separate fire stations threatened with closure is nothing but reckless cost cutting without any regard for residents.”

Labour is promising to step up its campaign against the closures in the borough, which had more fires than any other London borough last year.

Cllr Ullah added: “Labour will campaign against these cuts with everything we have, working with anyone who will join with us.

“We all accept that they have to be budget cuts in some areas, what we do not accept is that public safety should be put at risk by those decisions.”