50 firefighters tackle blaze at Bethnal Green flats
Smoke was seen billowing from the roof of the four-storey building in Turin Street.
Reports are emerging of a huge blaze at a block of flats in Bethnal Green. The roof of the tower block in Turin Street is alight while flames can be seen from the windows.
Thick black smoke is billowing from the burning building as firefighters tackle the blaze which appears to have started in a third floor flat and spread to the roof of the four-storey building.
Labour MP Rushanara Ali, who is at the scene, told MailOnline: "There are police officers and fire service personnel dealing with it - there's still smoke. I've been here for the last 45 minutes or so and they're just trying to take control of the situation.
"It's settling down and it seems like they've got a handle on it."
One person has been treated for the effects of smoke inhalation. Footage shows terrified residents watching the scene as firefighters work to contain the fire.
The Grenfell Tower inferno which left at least 79 people dead has sparked concerns about cladding used on buildings prompting a national safety operation.
Yesterday five tower blocks in Camden were evacuated amid heightened fears regarding safety of residents. Residents on the Chalcots estate have been temporarily re-located after it was found that the blocks used cladding similar to that on the Grenfell Tower.
"People are very concerned - I've spent most of the day visiting residents around my constituency particularly where there are concerns about cladding,"said Ali.
"There is a real anxiety about whether their housing stock is secure which I know people will be feeling around the city and country. This building today is not a high rise and we don't want to get into speculating on the cause but there is a general mood of anxiety - why is this happening, how are these fires happening?
"We expect regulation to work and in Grenfell tower's case they can see that it hasn't.
People are being incredibly calm, this is a community that is very resilient so they will support each other - there are lots of strong connections and neighbourliness around here.
"But you can't get away from fact people are very anxious and upset at scenes that they've seen in recent weeks following the Grenfell fire."
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the Grenfell fire was started by a faulty fridge-freezer.
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