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Baby and child die as fire rips through flats block
A three-week-old baby and a child aged seven died when fire ripped through a tower block, police said last night.
More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at the 12-storey block of flats in Camberwell, south London.
Firefighters rescued 30 people from the block and 13 people were treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuries.
London Fire Brigade said the blaze was now under control and fire investigation teams were on the scene.
Emergency services were called to Lakanal House in Havil Street at 4.25pm.
Southwark Council leader Nick Stanton said: "This is a terrible thing to have happened and my thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family of the children who have died and those people affected by this fire."
Resident Sarah Gresty, who lives nearby, said she could see a column of flames and smoke in the flats going up a number of floors.
In a statement, London Fire Brigade said: "Eighteen fire engines, a range of special appliances and over 100 firefighters are fighting a serious fire in a tower block in Havil Street, Camberwell, this evening.
"The fire is believed to have started on the fourth floor and to have spread rapidly to the 11th floor.
"A number of rescues have been carried out in extremely difficult circumstances and fire crews equipped with extended duration breathing apparatus are working very hard to reach those still affected and carry out an exhaustive search of the building."
A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said: "We sent 16 ambulance crews, eight officers, two single responders in cars, a doctor and our hazardous area response team to the scene. The first of our staff arrived within four minutes.
"We have treated 16 patients, including seven children, who have all been taken to hospital. Most of these are understood to have been suffering from smoke inhalation, while at least three were in a serious condition."
The spokesman said the patients were taken to King's College Hospital, St Thomas' Hospital and Lewisham Hospital.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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