Over 50 firefighters attended a fire in a high-rise block of flats in Croydon on Thursday morning as over 200 people were evacuated.
The fire broke out in a flat on the fourth floor of the 12-storey block at around 05:30 and the fire was well alight when officers arrived shortly after.
The fire caused extensive damage to the flat, and one man had to be rescued before being sent to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.
A further two people who had rescued themselves were also treated for smoke inhalation.
Ten appliances were in attendance, and the fire which did not spread beyond the flat, was under control by 0825.
Tooting fire station manager Peter Rickard said, “Firefighters got to the scene really quickly and on arrival they could see flames coming from a window on the fourth floor. They worked incredibly hard under hot and smoky conditions to bring the fire under control and successfully rescued a man from the fourth floor.
“Fortunately there were smoke alarms inside the building which alerted the other residents to the fire. Around 200 people evacuated and they are now being looked after in a local community centre."
Normal procedure would dictate that residents should remain in their homes while firefighters tackle the fire and it is not clear why all 200 residents were evacuated immediately.
Speaking to the Croydon Gazette Justin Gillett, a resident on the tenth floor, said, "The alarm went off about 5.30 so we just pulled on some clothes and got out.
"I looked out the window and saw the smoke coming out of the fourth floor and people in the car park.”
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