More than 120 firefighters have extinguished a massive blaze that tore though a residential tower-block in central London.
Smoke had been seen pouring into the sky from several miles away as 20 fire engines were called to the building in Shepherd’s Bush.
The blaze broke out on Shepherd’s Court, just streets away from a busy Underground station and Westfield shopping centre.
One witness described it as a “raging fire” and praised the London Fire Brigade (LFB) for their swift response.
They attended the scene within three minutes of flames breaking out, west London resident Rémi Lefèvre wrote on Twitter.
A LFB spokesperson said over 40 emergency calls had been made about the fire since 3:44 pm on Friday but that it was now “under control”.
“20 fire engines, 120 firefighters and officers have been called to a fire in a high rise block of flats on Shepherd’s Court in Shepherd’s Bush Green,” they told The Huffington Post UK.
“Smoke from the blaze can be seen across the area and 999 control officers have taken over 40 emergency calls to the incident.
“The Brigade was called at 15.44. Crews from Hammersmith, Kensington, Acton, Chiswick, Paddington and Fulham fire stations are at the scene.
“The cause of the fire is not known at this stage.”
Shepherd’s Bush station is closed due to the nearby blaze, Transport for London confirmed.
LFB have continued to revise up the number of firefighters and fire engines deployed to the scene.
Hammersmith and Fulham council has confirmed it is working with LFB to coordinate rest areas and is arranging houses for those affected by the fire.