Firefighters assisted around 20 people to safety after a fire broke out at a block of flats in Limehouse last night (January 19).

Five fire engines and around 35 firefighters were called to the flats in Branch Road at 10.24pm.

They were alerted by a resident who could smell burning and saw smoke in the corridor; part of an electrical intake cupboard on the sixth floor was damaged as a result.

There were no reports of any injuries, with LFB investigators attributing the blaze - which was under control by 11.52pm - to an electrical fault.

Station Commander Robbie Robertson, who was at the scene, said: “On arrival, crews were faced with smoke coming from an electrical intake cupboard in a communal corridor.

“Firefighters assisted around 20 people from the building to safety and worked quickly to prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring properties.”