One man dies, three people injured and 50 evacuated after top-floor fire
Man jumps from burning tower block
The death of a man is being investigated, after he jumped from his burning flat in a London tower block.
Police, ambulance and firefighters were called to Ellen Wilkinson House in Smart Street, Bethnal Green, just after 8pm yesterday. The blaze started on the top floor of the five-storey block.
Three other residents were injured and about 50 residents were evacuated. A local community centre was opened to accommodate them. The man who jumped, who is believed to have been in his 20s, was taken to hospital but died shortly before 11pm.
The fire was contained in the flat, which was severely damaged, and the Metropolitan police and London Fire Brigade are investigating but it is not being treated as suspicious. A spokesperson for the police said: ‘The circumstances are being treated as unexplained’.
At arm’s-length management organization Tower Hamlets Homes, which manages the block, a spokesperson said: ‘A number of residents were evacuated from the block immediately after the incident and the Cranbrook Community Centre opened by the local Tenants’ and Residents’ Association to provide shelter for residents.
‘Tower Hamlets Homes staff provided residents with light refreshments, and at around 11pm the London Fire Brigade and the Met police allowed all residents to return to their homes, except three families living in properties directly adjacent to the affected flat.’
Tower Hamlets Homes arranged temporary accommodation for one of the three displaced families, he added, but the other two families preferred to stay with friends.
‘Tower Hamlets Homes is keeping the families regularly informed of the situation with their homes,’ he said. ‘Tower Hamlets Homes is doing all it can to support residents affected, and is working closely with the London Fire Brigade and the Met police to help them with their investigation into the incident.’
Once the investigation is complete, the ALMO can begin a major clean-up operation at Ellen Wilkinson House, he said.
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Readers' comments (6)
kass | 12/08/2009 2:14 pm
... "the Metropolitan police and London Fire Brigade are investigating but it is not being treated as suspicious.... " what does this mean? Who is it not suspicious here? How the fire started? The victim? The landlord for the conditions of the block?... How is possible for something like this can happen and nothing and none has had any part in it?... And if none of these are suspiscious, what this fire a act of god?...
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northern rose | 12/08/2009 6:20 pm
Kass, the inquest opened this morning and reported that a petrol can has been put on top of the fire which caused an explosion while the manw as in his locked bedroom.
A sad tragedy, and perhaps the sign of a very troubled mind, but not suspicious, not an Act of God, and certainly not any fault of the landlord
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Harry Lime | 13/08/2009 8:57 am
Kass, yet again you fail to realise "other" things can happen - imagine this - the fire was started by a faulty electrical appliance (not suspicious) and then the person trapped freaked out and jumped or the fire got so bad jumping was the only option other than certain death. Of course there's also the possibility that the housing officer concerned or indeed the whole of the RSL board started the fire on purpose and then heaved him over his balcony......
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kass | 13/08/2009 11:55 am
Harry Lime | Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:57 GMT... have you read my comment properly?... where do I say it is the landlord's fault?... If as "northern rose | Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:20 GMT," says was the act of a troubled mind, then I would be very interested to know what troubled his mind, did he have a history of similar actions? Was he given the right support by the health services?
So anyone know where I could find out more I would be grateful if you could let me know.
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kk | 17/08/2009 6:45 pm
it was not suicide please his gone now, there's no need for all of this, an every death is an act of God, and fate!
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kass | 06/09/2009 2:07 pm
kk | Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:45 GMT
"it was not suicide please his gone now, there's no need for all of this, an every death is an act of God, and fate!..."
Well, we hope he rests in peace, and there is not much point about worrying about the victim now. BECAUSE IT IS TOO LATE and we should have worried about him before it happened... However what is left for us to worry about - because it might as well affect us like it did the victim - is whether his actions had any connection with his housing... One like you is free to think fate and God are the main culprits here, and the investigation might well prove you right. But who knows what else or more the investigation is going to reveal?
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