No injuries were reported in the blaze at St Mark’s Square in Bromley, which was tackled by 15 fire engines and around 100 firefighters, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) said. Half of the five-room apartment on the 15th floor was destroyed by the fire – and part of the roof was also damaged. About 120 people have been evacuated. Credit: PA Images Firefighters were called at 11.58am on Sunday morning and the fire was brought under control by 4.08pm. The LFB said it was a highly visible fire and the Brigade’s 999 control center received 95 calls at the height of the incident. Fire crews used a 64 meter long ladder to extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Credit: PA Images Station Commander Colin Digby was at the scene and said: “Crews are making steady progress in fighting the fire. “This was a protracted incident and our crews will be on scene for several hours.” The causes of the fire are being investigated. Footage posted on social media showed flames and black smoke coming from part of a sloping roof. Further footage showed firefighters on the roof with the flames apparently out. Josh Gill, 29, Co-op team leader from Bromley, said: “I literally live on the doorstep. “I was in my apartment and my mother-in-law came to pick up my wife’s niece who stayed last night, and as she came she said about the fire and she saw all the fire department showing up and (I) went to have a look. “Some people were upset and crying, while others were shocked and confused about what was happening. The fire department is still here and you can see people living in the apartments evacuating to the church.” “It’s scary to see this right on the doorstep as I have a family.” Firefighters were called at 11.58am and are still at the scene. Credit: PA Images A man who lived near the tower said he saw flames burning “wildly” in the building. Rowland Leslie, 63, said: “I was just coming down to come to Bromley and I don’t think it had started much before that because the fire engines were just coming. “Where there is a slope of the building, there are balconies and the flames were burning fiercely at first. “I’ve been in Bromley for over an hour and where I was it looked like the fire had gone out, but in the last 20 minutes it looks like it must have re-ignited.” Firefighters were called at 11.58am and are still at the scene. Credit: PA Images A large cordon remained in place around the scene of the fire on Sunday afternoon, with residents diverted to longer routes to get home. Guests at a nearby Premier Inn were evacuated and said they would likely have to wait several hours to get back inside. One visitor, Jerome Smith, 22, said: “I fell asleep, woke up, went outside, my friend texted me saying there was a fire and they evacuated everyone. “My car is parked in the car park so we’re just waiting to get in. They say it’s going to be a three hour wait.”
