Around 100 firefighters were called to a significant fire in Aldgate on 20 April 2025 involving a sixth-floor flat
Control officers for the London Fire Brigade (LFB) received 21 calls regarding the blaze shortly after 5.40pm. Around 100 firefighters and 15 fire appliances responded to the incident, with crews from Whitechapel, Shadwell, Shoreditch, Dowgate, Bethnal Green, and surrounding fire stations in attendance.
Footage shared on social media show large flames and plumes of grey smoke issuing from the sixth and seventh-floor flats. As reported by The Standard, the fire is thought to have begun on a flat on the sixth floor before spreading to the one above.
Firefighters led 11 people to safety, and crews used a 64-metre turntable ladder as an observation tower, “providing a vantage point for incident commanders to assess the incident”.
Locals were advised to avoid the area as crews worked to bring the fire under control. Borough Commander Lucy Macleod, who was at the scene, said: "Crews acted swiftly to bring the fire under control and remained on site throughout the evening to damp down remaining hotspots.
“Road closures were in place, and there was significant congestion in the surrounding area. We urged the public to avoid the vicinity where possible while we worked to make the scene safe.
She added: “We’re working closely with our partners to ensure support is available for residents affected by the incident.”
Also in attendance were crews from the London Ambulance Service, with a spokesperson saying: “We sent resources to the scene, including members of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), members of our Tactical Response Unit and an incident response officer.
“Our crews assisted our emergency services partners at the scene, but were later stood down when it was determined there were no patients for us to treat.”
LFB later confirmed that the flat on the sixth floor was destroyed in the blaze, with part of the flat on the seventh floor also damaged.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
(Photograph by the London Fire Brigade)