Sixty people escaped a huge blaze at in East Finchley which needed 100 firefighters and fifteen fire engine to bring it under control in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Flames destroyed the roof and damaged part of the second floor at Willow House on the Grange Estate, but the fire brigade reported nobody was known to have been injured.

Fire service station manager Peter Gustafson, who was at the scene, said: “When crews arrived they were faced with a well developed fire in the roof space of the building.”

The brigade were called to the block just after midnight, and although the fire was under control by 2am, firefighters remained on the scene throughout the night.

Willow House is a Barnet Homes owned property on the Grange Estate, and Barnet Council released a statement confirming they and Barnet Homes were assisting residents at the scene and will be working to help those affected.

It is not yet known what caused the blaze.