20 Fire Brigades Called to rescue as the 17th Floor of Building in Whitechapel Witnessed Fire Break Out

Firefighters were seen tackling the blaze as it broke out on the 17th floor of a building in Whitechapel High Street. The incident was reported at 4 pm, on March 8 when the building was seen to be engulfed in flames and thick smoke. Glass screens were shattering on the grounds of the building, which induced panic among the citizens, and about 20 fire brigades were called for rescue. 

As an immediate measure, nearby roads were closed and all communication was stopped between Old Commercial Road and Old Castle Street. Twenty fire engines were dispatched for Aldgate Street and nearly 125 fire crews reported to fight the fire at the scene. 

The official Twitter page of London posted a video of the fire growing worse. A person in the video shouted, “They haven't even evacuated the building.” 

The Daily Mirror reported that windows were seen to be blasting and ceilings covered in fire from the eastern side of Commercial Road. 

Woman trapped in the building!  

The fire had already spread to the 18th and 19th floors when the firefighter team arrived. A woman was found to be trapped inside the fire on the 17th floor. The crew located the woman and deployed a fire escape hood to direct the woman's escape from an internal staircase. 

A 64-meter turntable ladder, the tallest in Europe, was mobilized to fight the fire. 60 people were evacuated from the building, whereas others were advised to keep their doors and windows shut. 

The paramedics were called immediately to the scene. 

An ambulance filled with team leader, a response officer and ambulance crew were deployed from the London Ambulance service in fast emergency cars.

Reporting to the scene, paramedics checked the other residents for smoke poisoning and vitals. A patient was sent to the hospital. Others were given first aid. 

The rapid responses of the officers prevented further damage to the Relay Building and saved people from serious injuries. 

After a tough fight of 3 hours, at around 7:07 pm, the flame came under control. 

Ms. Ling, a student at the London School of Economics and resident of the Relay Building, told the news that the whole incident had been terrifying. Most of the residents could not hear any alarms go off. She heard the alarm ring from the 20th floor but not theirs.  

They were unaware of the fire until the other residents came banging at their door, yelling “Come Out! Come Out!” 

Sharton Atwal, who lives on the 16th floor of the building, told the news that as soon as she opened her door, the hallway was filled with smoke. She had no time for preparation and had to evacuate immediately. She added, “I didn’t even know the exits; it was terrorizing!” 

Few residents informed that the incident was published on social media even before they were alerted. 

A woman said she came to know about the fire when her friend face-timed to enquire about their safety. 

Several firefighters "were ready to walk upstairs" when she was on her way down, a 25-year-old reported. 

Ms. Ling told she could not even take her coat while leaving, and was given a silver security blanket. She and her husband assumed they would not get their flat back tonight and might have to stay at a friend's house. 

The firefighters took urgent action in evacuating the building. They also reassured the citizens, telling them “Don't be scared, we are trying to protect you.”

Andy Roe, the commissioner of London Fire Brigade, and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, had been in close contact during the breakout.

The Relay building, developed in 2018 by Hondo Enterprises, holds 7000 square feet of retail and 97,000 square feet of office space. The mixed block building contains over 207 apartments. 

The managers of the flat said that the "fire plan" for the floors from 12th to 21st is a “stay put” policy. Smoke ventilation will operate, but there will be no large sirens in apartments and communal spaces. They went on in their statement, "It is up to the fire department to determine if the building requires a complete evacuation.” 

A senior lady, 61, stated it was ridiculous that the alarms did not ring. She had been living there since 2012 and could have been engulfed by the fire if her neighbour had not come knocking at the door. She had just gotten off her night shift and was asleep in her apartment. She is asthmatic and lives alone. She told The Mirror that it’s a miracle no one was killed. The building owners should be more responsible - “I haven't had electricity in my bathroom in the past 8 weeks.” 

The residents had also complained about this “stay-put” fire policy and the wooden balconies of the building previously when an inferno hit Grenfell Tower five years back. Few of the wooden balconies in the place also caught fire.

Since then, people have been pleading with the building’s managers to fix this, and also other maintenance issues such as electricity. There had also been small incidents of fire in the building where the alarms did not go off. The building is managed by Rendall and Ritter, John D. Wood, and Network Homes.

The fact that the underground station was engulfed in fire shows how dangerous the fire could have been. As the fire broke out, Sabrina Chevannes, managing director of Complex Creative, which has offices near the Relay, escaped the area through the tube station.  

She was terrified to hear the scream until the cops came and shut down the streets. The whole street was filled with people, and the Aldgate East Tube station underground with smoke. 

The London Fire Brigade informed investigations are ongoing, but the cause of the fire is still unknown.