Dozens of firefighters called to tackle blaze opposite Grenfell Tower site

More than 60 firefighters were called out to a block of flats opposite the Grenfell Tower after reports of a fire.

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Smoke was seen rising from a balcony on a tower block on Darfield Way in the north Kensington area of London.

The callout was to a tower block that stands just 200 metres from the site of the Grenfell Tower blaze, which killed 72 people in June 2017.

Fire engines from across London attended the scene after 25 people called the emergency services around 11.39am this morning (23 Aug).

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A spokesperson for the fire brigade in Kensington said: “Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters have been called to reports of smoke in Darfield Way in Notting Hill.”

The fire service said that the fire is now under control and there have been no reports of any injuries.

It also said that residents of the building are being spoken to in order to reassure them.

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Those living near the scene of the fire have been advised to keep their windows shut.

‘Everyone is thinking of Grenfell’

Samantha Findley, 41, said she smelled what she thought was burning plastic in the tower block and immediately left her 10th floor flat.

She told the Press Association, "I smelled it. So I thought 'let me get out, I'm out'. I grabbed my keys, my phone. I'm out. I'm not seeing where it is or anything. I'm out.

"I was concerned. I was very fearful."

Pointing at the Grenfell Tower site, she said, "That's Grenfell there as you can see. That was my first instinct when I smelled smoke. Everyone is thinking of Grenfell."

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