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Eight fire engines from across the capital were called after plumes of black smoke were seen rising from a flat above a pharmacy and a convenience store on Station Parade in Barking. The London Fire Brigade said half of the first floor apartment had been destroyed by the blaze.

Footage from the scene shows smoke still rising from the roof of the flat, as onlookers try to avoid breathing it in.

There have been so far no injuries reported as a result of the fire, and the cause is being investigated.

The fire brigade was first called just after 7pm, and was able to bring the fire under control an hour later.

Paul Green, a station commander at the scene, said: “Crews worked extremely hard in hot arduous conditions to extinguish the fire.”

The site of the fire sits just metres away from Barking tube station, in London’s eastern suburbs.

The London Fire Brigade says that the “most effective firefighting technique is prevention”, and urges Londoners to regularly check their smoke alarms and electrical appliances.

It estimates that around 60 percent of the capital’s fires start in the kitchen, and urges home cooks to keep their kitchens clean and to order a takeaway when drowsy. 

More to follow…

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