Three children dead in flats blaze

Jul 3 2009

A fire in a block of flats left has six people dead, including three children.

The blaze, in Havil Street, Camberwell, south London, began on the four floor of the 12-storey block on Friday afternoon and "spread rapidly" to the 11th floor, according to London Fire Brigade.

A woman, a three-week-old baby and a seven-year-old child were among the victims.

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade said: "There were six fatalities - three adults and three children.

"Thirty people were rescued - these 30 people were in immediate peril and were evacuated from the building."

Unharmed survivors were taken to an emergency centre in a nearby church hall set up by Southwark Council and the British Red Cross, while the injured were taken to three London hospitals.

A female adult died at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital, while two of the child victims were taken to King's College Hospital in Denmark Hill.

A spokesman for Guy's and St Thomas' said: "We can confirm that we received two adult patients from the fire in Camberwell. One patient remains in a stable condition in hospital. Tragically the second patient has died."

A spokesman for King's College Hospital, in Denmark Hill, said: "We had 11 people in total - nine of whom had minor injuries, mostly smoke inhalation. These were three children and six adults. They are currently in the process of being discharged and they are going to Southwark Council's emergency centre. The other two of the 11 sadly died."

A spokeswoman for The Lewisham Hospital, in south London, said: "We've had seven people brought in to the Accident and Emergency department. There are four adults and three children. All the people who have come to Lewisham have non-serious injuries."