Dagenham fire: Everything we know so far about East London tower block blaze

Around 225 firefighters and 40 fire engines tackled the blaze at a block of flats on Freshwater Road in the early hours of Monday morning (August 26).

The whole of the building was affected by the fire, including scaffolding surrounding the property and the roof. 

More than 80 people were evacuated from the block of flats, two were taken to hospital and all of the building’s occupants have been accounted for, a LFB spokesperson said.

Investigators are trying to find the cause, but the fire service said the building had "known" safety issues and the role played by the cladding would form part of the investigation.

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According to the BBC, a planning application document also details "remedial" work being undertaken to remove and replace "non-compliant cladding" on the fifth and sixth floors containing flats.

The incident comes just a week before the publication of the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. 

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “Once again, a fire has erupted in a residential building wrapped in flammable cladding. There needs to be an urgent and swift investigation of how this has been allowed to happen.

“Hundreds of thousands of people continue to live in buildings like it, with various failings in fire safety. This is a national scandal.”

Grenfell United - a campaign group set up to support survivors and bereaved families following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 - said the Dagenham fire highlighted "a lack of urgency for building safety", in a statement published on social media.

The group said the fact that the building had a number of fire safety issues "highlights the painfully slow progress of remediation across the country" and called on the government to speed up the process.

What is the London Fire Brigade saying?

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe said: “I am immensely grateful to the crews and officers who have operated in the most dangerous conditions to both rescue people and bring the incident under control despite being faced with a significant building failure. 

"The building has a number of fire safety issues known to the London Fire Brigade. A full simultaneous evacuation of the building was immediately carried out and a significant search and rescue operation took place. 

“I am pleased to confirm that everyone has been accounted for. More than 80 people were evacuated with firefighters leading residents out to safety and carrying out 20 rescues. This included using fire escape hoods, which can provide 15 minutes of clean, filtered air in smoke-filled environments, helping individuals stay safe until they can be rescued or reach safety.  

“Four people were treated on scene by London Ambulance Service crews, with two taken to hospital,” Commissioner Roe added.

"We will now begin a full investigation into the fire and its cause. This was a very dynamic and challenging incident, and we know there will undoubtedly be concerns around the fire safety issues present within the building and this will form part of our report.  

“Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected and we will remain present in the local community throughout the coming days to provide support where needed.”

The British Red Cross said a team of the charity’s volunteers are providing “emotional support” to evacuated residents at a local rest centre.