London fire: Hundreds evacuated from Watford tower block - Fears of 'another Grenfell'
RESIDENTS evacuated from a Watford tower block after a fire shared they were afraid of "another Grenfell".
Hundreds were evacuated after a large blaze at a block of flats in Hertfordshire on Tuesday morning. Firefighters were called to 16-storey Abbey View in Garsmouth Way at around 5am.
It is believed an outside bin was set alight and flames spread to the nearby building.
Emergency services said there had been no reports of casualties at this time.
One person was treated for smoke inhalation.
Eyewitness Andrew Carberry ran from his flat shouting “fire” to alert neighbours. He explained: “My only hope was to save lives. I didn’t want another Grenfell.”
Mr Carberry told the Evening Standard: “I was in the front room of my flat when I heard what sounded like an explosion.
“I then leant out the window and could hear the fire.
“I got dressed, went downstairs and walked down road. I shouted fire 20 times to alert the people in the tower block.
“By that time, the fire brigade arrived. It looked like it started at the bottom of the flat.
“The worst damage was the bottom few floors. One family got out saying they heard my shouts of fire, which was good.”
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Hertfordshire Police said: “We are currently assisting the fire service at the scene of a fire at a block of flats in Garsmouth Way, Watford.
“Road closures are in place while emergency services work at the scene and people are asked to please avoid the area at this time.”
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue said: “We were called to reports of a fire in a bin store at a residential building in Garsmouth Way, Watford at around 5am this morning.
“Eight fire engines are on the scene and firefighters evacuated floors one to four.
“Other emergency service colleagues are also in attendance. We can confirm that the fire has been put out and there were 10 pumps.”
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The ambulance service added: “We currently have multiple resources at a fire at flats in Garsmouth Way, including our Hazardous Area Response Team.
“As of 06.11am, other than one person treated on-scene for smoke inhalation, there have been no casualties and no-one has been transported to hospital.
“The incident is still live however, and crews are still assessing residents that have been evacuated.”
The ambulance service added: “We currently have multiple resources at a fire at flats in Garsmouth Way, including our Hazardous Area Response Team.
“As of 06.11am, other than one person treated on-scene for smoke inhalation, there have been no casualties and no-one has been transported to hospital.
“The incident is still live however, and crews are still assessing residents that have been evacuated.”
A fire broke out at high rise Grenfell Tower, in North Kensington, West London, on June 14, 2017.
It was the deadliest structural fire in the UK since the 1988 Piper Alpha oil-platform disaster.
Seventy two people died.