EDIS Number: FR-20091126-23977-GBR
Date / time: 26/11/2009 07:18:43 [UTC]
Event: Fire
Area: Europe
Country: United Kingdom
State/County: England
City: Peckham
Number of Deads: None or unknow
Number of Injured: None or unknow
Damage level: Minor

Description:

A mass evacuation is under way as 150 firefighters battle a major blaze in a block of flats in Peckham, south east London. Around 150 people have left their homes as the fire spreads through several three and four-storey buildings in Sumner Road. Police are now performing door-to-door checks. There are no reports of casualties so far. London Fire Brigade said 30 appliances are tackling the fire, which began at 4.30am in a building site. Eyewitness Beatrice Ghartey told Sky News: "Cars were blowing up. It was just really scary. "The blaze was moving towards us. "I called the fire brigade and I could not even talk. I was literally screaming fire." She said she believed the blaze - which is understood to now cover the size of half a football pitch - had started in a brand-new block of flats that have not yet been completed. Lucy Pope, another eyewitness, said the blaze was "very serious" with flames shooting at one point 20ft into the air from the flats. She told Sky: "People are scared, they are standing in bus shelters and there are babies who have been woken up. There are people looking very scared." Ms Pope said surrounding roads were blocked by fire engines, police cars and paramedics. A brigade spokesman said the building site in Carisbrooke Gardens was alight, with gas cylinders possibly involved. "The fire seems to have spread very rapidly," he said. Officers from the Metropolitan Police were also in attendance.