Children Hospitalised After Major Blaze Tears Through Central London Flats

FOUR children have been hospitalised after an inferno tore through a block of city centre flats. The London Fire Brigade scrambled eight fire engines and sixty firefighters to the blaze in Lambeth, London, this morning. Two flats were completely destroyed by the flames with more than 20 residents forced to evacuate the 11-storey building shortly after 8am. Four children were rushed to hospital as a precaution after being rescued from the tower block, the fire brigade said. The brigade’s control office received a staggering 23 calls about the fire as panicked residents raised the alarm. Fire crews from Brixton, Clapham, Peckham, and nearby stations were scrambled to the scene. Police officers were also spotted in the area maintaining a cordon around the block on Barrington Road. Video from the scene showed pillars of flame bursting from the window of one of the flats. Thick, black smoke was seen pouring from the building as fire crews attempted to bring the inferno under control. Terrifying video shows two flats engulfed in flames and smoke with several fire engines gathered around the base of the burning structure. Horrified bystanders watching the harrowing scene unfold can be heard in the background of the footage. Images captured after the fire was brought under control show the devastating aftermath of the blaze with two flats completely gutted by the flames. The windows of one have been blown out while the frames and balcony have been charred black by the intense heat. The fire brigade said it took a total of ninety minutes to put out the raging inferno. It remains unclear what sparked the fire, with the cause currently under investigation. The London Fire Brigade said: “Around 60 firefighters tackled a fire at an 11-storey building on Barrington Road in Lambeth this morning. “Two flats were destroyed by the fire and four children were taken to hospital.“