A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after after a huge fire engulfed a block of flats in Beckton, London. The fire, which has affected the first and second floors of the block on Tollgate Road, started just after 5pm. The Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service said that a woman is believed to have died and five others were treated at the scene before going to the hospital.

There are also unconfirmed reports of people jumping out of the windows to escape the flames, My London reported.

A large number of firefighters and emergency crews remain on the scene to tackle the large blaze that is ripping through the block of flats.

The London Fire Brigade has said that initially 40 firefighters and six fire engines tried to put out the fire.

The cause of the blaze is currently unknown.

Road closures are in place around the block of flats as emergency services have cordoned off Tollgate Road and restricted access to Bradley Stone Road and Valiant Way.

Pictures from the scene show a number of fire engines in a queue behind a red cordon.

A spokesperson from the London Fire Brigade said: “Firefighters have been called to a flat fire on Tollgate Road in Beckton. 

“The first floor and second floors of the residential block are alight. The staircase from the first to the second floor is also alight. The Brigade was called at 5.24pm.

“Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from East Ham, Plaistow, Barking and surrounding fire stations are at the scene.

“The cause of the fire is not known at this time.”

The Metropolitan Police have revealed that they were called to the scene at nearly 5:30pm and are investigating the cause of the fire.

A Met Police spokesperon said: “Police were called at approximately 5:28pm on Thursday, April 6 to reports of a fire at a block of flats in Tollgate Road, E6.

“Police, LAS and LFB are currently at the scene dealing with the fire. It is believed that there has been one fatality and number of others injured. No further details at this stage.

“Enquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing. A road closure is in place on Tollgate Road and restriction are in place on Bradley Stone Road and Valiant Way, E6.”

One witness at the scene told MyLondon she saw a person jump out of the second floor in an attempt to flee the fire.

She said: “I was walking past the building before the fire brigade got there. I witnessed a person jumping out of the second floor window as was trapped, a sight I never thought I would see.

“The thud on the ground was horrific, I really hope he was ok. I could not get near as the smoke was affecting my asthma but he did have people around him and he think he got up off the ground.”

In an update, the London Ambulance Service confirmed that one person died.

An LAS spokesperson said: “We were called at 5.26pm today (6 April) to reports of a fire on Tollgate Road, Beckton.

“We sent a number of resources to the scene, including five ambulance crews, two incident response officers, an advanced paramedic, a clinical team manager and members of our tactical response unit and hazardous response team (HART). We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance.

“We treated five patients before taking them to hospital. Sadly, a person was pronounced dead at the scene.”

A witness told MyLondon they saw a person jump out of the building.

They said: “I witnessed a person jumping out of the second floor window as was trapped, a sight I never thought I would see.

“The thud on the ground was horrific.”

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