London fire: Blaze in 17th floor of apartment block in Whitechapel

Fire has broken out in a highrise apartment block in the London suburb of Whitechapel.

Sky News reports 15 engines and 100 firefighters had been sent to the scene at Whitechapel High St.

There were no initial reports of injuries, although images show an extensive fire.

Huge fire in #aldgate huge glass panels falling 100s of metres to the ground, awful scenes @BBCNews @SkyNews pic.twitter.com/8FqEoHATN0

— Jamie (@JamieLFC_1892) March 7, 2022

"Our Control Officers have taken more than 50 calls to the blaze," the London Fire Brigade said.

Witnesses described large panels of glass falling to the ground, orange flames, smoke pouring out of the windows, and "awful scenes".

Twenty fire engines are now at the scene of the #Whitechapel fire which is in a block of flats and offices. Our Control Officers have taken more than 50 calls to the blaze © @dinglebobs https://t.co/wyMmpNeYbp pic.twitter.com/ijiW2WNOg8

— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) March 7, 2022

At the base of the building, commercial units underneath the railway arches are reportedly alight and four cars and a telephone box are also on fire.

London Fire Brigade said a 64 metre ladder, said to be the tallest in Europe, has also been sent to the scene.

Emergency services were urging people to avoid the area near Elephant and Castle railway station.

In 2017, a high-rise fire broke out in the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block of flats in North Kensington, West London, leading to the deaths of 72 people.

The London Ambulance Service reported it has also been called to the incident.

Firefighters atop the 64m ladder to access the fire from the outside of the apartment block. Photo / London Fire Brigade, via Twitter

"We are responding to a fire on Whitechapel High Street with our emergency service colleagues.

"If you are in the local area, please try and stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed."