Six fire engines rush to Hampstead blaze as elderly man treated for smoke inhalation

An elderly man was treated by paramedics after a fire broke out in a Hampstead flat.

The man was treated for smoke inhalation by London Ambulance Service (LAS) staff who were called to Wedderburn Road shortly after 2pm.

Six fire engines and 35 firefighters were sent to the scene, where they tackled the blaze, in a third-floor flat, for two hours before getting it under control at about 4pm.

Flames and smoke were seen billowing from the roof of the building, which has been left with a large hole.

Speaking from the scene before the fire was tamed, station manager John Lalor said: “Access to the fire is difficult but crews are working hard in arduous and hot conditions. An elderly man from the flat below was led to safety and treated by LAS crews for slight smoke inhalation.”

A spokesman for the LAS said: “We were called at 2.07pm to an address on Wedderburn Road to reports of a fire. We sent our hazardous area response team, an ambulance crew and a duty officer.

“One patient was treated for smoke inhalation. They were not taken to hospital.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire engines from West Hampsetad, Belsize, Kentish Town, Paddington and Wembley attended.