London tower block fire 'suspicious'
More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze
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Saturday, 04, Jul 2009 09:03
Police said a tower block fire in London that left six people dead is being treated as suspicious.
Police have named five of the victims as Helen Udoaka, 34, and her three-week-old daughter Michelle, Dayana Francisquini, 26, Filipe Francisquini, 3, and Catherine Hickman, 31. The sixth person remains unidentified.
Ch Supt Wayne Chance, of the Met Police, said the cause was suspicious.
About 30 people were rescued from the blaze at the 12-storey Lakanal House on the Sceaux Gardens Estate, Camberwell. Of those rescued, 12 remain in hospital.
More than 100 firefighters and 18 fire engines fought the blaze, which is thought to have started in a stairwell at 16:20 BST on Friday.
Firefighter Paul Glenny, who tackled the blaze, said: "I've been in the job for 30 years, and I've never seen anything like it.
"The hot weather and the fact that people's windows were open made the fire what it was."
Investigations into the fire could take months, a spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade (LFB) said.
Residents were taken to an evacuation centre in nearby Welton Hall, Bushey Road, where they remained this morning.
Carol Hunter, who lives in a building that backs on to Lakanal House, told the BBC: "It was horrible. We saw lots of children banging on the windows to get out and families screaming."
Harriet Harman MP, whose constituency includes the tower block, said: "People remain calm but it's a very distressing situation."
"I have spoken to the fire authorities and they have yet to identify the cause of the fire.
"The main immediate concern is for the people who have died and for the people fighting for their lives in hospital."
Police said it is too early to say what led to the fire and officers are working with the LFB investigation team to establish the cause.