Residents expressed their gratitude to firefighters who raced to a street in Fitzrovia this morning to put out a fire which engulfed a home in a mansion block.
Crews of the London Fire Brigade from Euston, Paddington and Soho stations had to smash through locked doors to extinguish a fire and stopped it spreading to other homes in a residential building in Langham Street at around 10am.
Earlier an internal fire alarm had alerted residents who fled Holbein Mansion, some with their pets, in panic as smoke filled the building. Witnesses told Fitzrovia News that crews wasted no time in getting the fire put out and praised the men and women of the London Fire Brigade for saving their homes.
Fitzrovia News understands that one person was treated for smoke inhalation by ambulance crews but there were no other injuries. Residents in neighbouring homes were allowed back in at lunchtime after the fire crews wound up the operation.
In a statement London Fire Brigade said:
“Four fire engines and 21 firefighters and officers were called to a fire at a flat in Langham Street in Fitzrovia.
“Part of the lounge of a first floor flat was damaged by fire. One man left the property before the arrival of the Brigade and he was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.
“The Brigade was called at 0959 and the fire was under control at 1101. Fire crews from Euston, Soho and Paddington fire stations attended the scene.
“The cause of the fire is under investigation,” said the LFB.
In 2014 fire stations at Westminster and Belsize were among 10 sites shut down with the loss of 552 fire fighters.