Around 70 firefighters tackled a huge blaze that tore through Camden Lock Market in the early hours of this morning.

Emergency services were called shortly before midnight on Sunday after fire took hold in a property near the Stables market.

Onlookers described the fire “moving very fast”, raising fears of explosions if it reached nearby restaurants.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) sent 10 fire engines, including an aerial appliance, to the incident, while witnesses described seeing “lots of ambulances” racing to the scene.

Crews from across central and north London fought to contain the blaze, which was “highly visible across the area”, for around three hours.

Station manager David Reid, who was at the scene, said: “Crews worked hard to get the fire under control and to stop it from spreading to neighbouring buildings.”

It is understood around 30 per cent of the first, second, and third floors, and a third of the roof of the 30 by 40 metre building, was damaged by the fire, which was brought under control by around 2.50am.

Witness Joan Ribes, 24, said on Monday: “I was just passing by when I saw the fire and they started to get firefighters and police, it was all very fast.

“We called the police to close the street to the traffic because it was very dangerous, the fire was flying through the air to the surrounding areas.

“The fire was moving very fast. People were watching, but we were scared the building could explode at any time since there are restaurants with kitchens nearby.”

Footage posted on social media showed flames shooting into the sky while firefighters sprayed water through windows.

One witness said: “Just drove past Camden market and there’s a huge fire on top a building, close to the Lock Bridge! Crazy crazy scenes.”

Another witness tweeted: “On a night bus I just passed the start of a big fire in Camden ... I’ve seen lots of ambulances head north.”

So far there have not been any reports of injuries from the blaze and it is understood all people at the building have been accounted for.

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 00.07 today (July 10) to reports of a fire at Camden Lock Market.

“We sent a clinical team leader and our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) to the scene.

“We have not treated any patients, and we remain at the scene.”

The Metropolitan Police said it had also been called to the incident and officers were remaining in the area.

LFB said the cause of the fire is under investigation and its crews will remain at the scene during the morning to damp down hot spots.

Police said road closures are currently in place at Chalk Farm Road junction with Hartland Road, NW1 and south up to Hawley Crescent.

It is the second serious blaze to hit Camden Lock. In February 2008 the Camden Canal Market was destroyed by an inferno that wrecked several local landmarks and put the waterside market out of action for 15 months.