Two rescued as smoke engulfs Bethnal Green pub
FIRE engines descended on Bethnal Green this morning as smoke poured from windows above the Salmon and Ball pub on the corner of Cambridge Heath Road and Bethnal Green Road. As firefighters were busy rescuing one man from the first floor, passers-by drew
FIRE engines descended on Bethnal Green this morning as smoke poured from windows above the Salmon and Ball pub on the corner of Cambridge Heath Road and Bethnal Green Road.
As firefighters were busy rescuing one man from the first floor, passers-by drew their attention to another in distress on the second.
A witness working opposite the pub said: "I saw the smoke and was worried about the two people getting out.
"One of the men appeared quite elderly, but they were both brought down safely and were walking which was good to see."
You may also want to watch:
Both men were taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and shock.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but it is believed to have started on the first floor, a quarter of which was damaged in the blaze.
Most Read
- 1 Man stabbed outside West India Quay DLR station
- 2 Midfielder Ouss Cisse confirms Leyton Orient departure
- 3 Transfer round-up: Leyton Orient bring in eight as departures find new clubs
- 4 Campaigners taking on town hall to keep Isle of Dogs youth club open
- 5 Data reveals house price rises in Olympic boroughs since London 2012
- 6 Tyrese Omotoye impresses on O's trial as Ouss Cisse looks set to depart
- 7 Eggslut food truck to bring 'edible breakfast cloud' to Shoreditch
- 8 Guilty: Who was jailed across east London in July?
- 9 Police chief to be quizzed at East London Mosque
- 10 Tokyo 2020: Poplar children have their own 'Olympics'
After being alerted by smoke alarms, the two tenants left their rooms only to be forced back inside by thick black smoke in the corridors.
Fire Brigade spokesman John Lalor said: "This was yet another reminder of how vital it is to have a working smoke alarm, without which the people inside might not have escaped so lightly."
He said Bethnal Green has had a special resonance with the fire service since the deaths of two firefighters tackling a shop blaze in Bethnal Green in 2004.
Thirty firefighters and six fire engines attended today's fire, closing off the end of Bethnal Green Road to traffic and pedestrians.
The fire brigade was called to the incident at 10.25am and declared it safe at 11.46am.
