All residents were able to escape the fire safely although three children were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation, reports James Cracknell

The fire at Maybury Close (credit Rick Jewell)

Fourteen people escaped a “frightening” fire in Enfield this morning (Monday 22nd) which destroyed the upper floor of a three-storey block of flats.

The blaze in Maybury Close, in the Carterhatch area of eastern Enfield, started at around 5am and quickly spread throughout the second floor.

Fortunately, a courier who lives on the ground floor was already awake for his morning shift and alerted others in the building, helping everyone to get out safely – even helping a disabled man down the stairs.

Three children needed to be treated in hospital for smoke inhalation but were later discharged.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by both London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police. The Dispatch understands that arson is a strong line of inquiry at this stage.

Yunus Mert, the ground floor resident who helped people escape, told the Dispatch: “I woke up early to get ready for work. There was a little alarm I could hear but not in my flat. I went to the bathroom and then I heard something fall in the garden, like a bang. I ran outside and I look up and I see the fire.

“I went back inside, everyone is asleep so I was knocking on people’s doors to wake them up. On the first floor is a disabled man so we had to carry him down. I went back in again to check everyone had got out. When the fire brigade arrived the roof was caving in.”

Resident Yunus Mert helped people escape the fire

Yunus said he dreaded to think what might have happened if he hadn’t been awake when the fire started, as the fire alarms in some flats didn’t seem to be going off. “If you are asleep you can inhale smoke and never wake up,” he said.

Also in the block of flats last night was Paul Lane, who was staying with his partner and her three kids, who were taken to hospital. He said: “My neighbour Yunus is a hero. He banged on our door, he said ‘fire, fire’. The alarm wasn’t working. He ran around waking everyone up.

“When I came outside there were flames everywhere.”

Rick Jewell, a councillor for Southbury ward who lives in Hoe Lane nearby, witnessed the block of flats going up in flames. “I heard a noise outside and two vehicles came down the road with blue lights,” he said.

“They were tackling the fire for a good couple of hours. It was quite frightening really.”

Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters attended the scene, including crews from Enfield, Edmonton, Chingford, Tottenham, Woodford and Southgate fire stations. Two fire engines from Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were also in attendance.

London Fire Brigade said the fire was under control by 8.06am.

The aftermath of the fire in Maybury Close (credit Rick Jewell)

Although the fire itself only destroyed one of the three floors in the building, every flat was flooded from the volume of water used to extinguish it.

Both Enfield Council and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association, which owns the building, have been on the scene since around 9am to assist residents, setting up a temporary shelter for them at Boleyn Hall in Boleyn Avenue.

Update (12.40pm):

A Met Police spokesperson said: “At around 5.25am on Monday, 22nd September police were called to reports of a fire in a residential building in Maybury Close, Enfield.

“Officers attended alongside the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service.

“Three children were treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to hospital where their conditions were deemed not life-threatening or life-changing.

“Police are working alongside the London Fire Brigade to investigate the cause of the fire.

“Enquiries are ongoing and no arrests have been made at this time.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police by calling 101 or online, quoting CAD866/22SEP.”

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