Fire hits London high-rise, woman rescued from 17th floor

LONDON (Reuters) -A fire broke out in a high-rise building in east London on Monday afternoon, trapping a woman on the 17th floor, emergency services said.

More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze on Whitechapel High Street before bringing it under control and rescuing the woman, London Fire Brigade said.

Flames poured out from the block of flats and offices and smoke spread across the capital’s skyline.

“This was a dynamic and visible fire with our 999 Control Officers taking more than 50 calls in the early stages,” LFB Station Commander Chris Jenner said.

“A woman was trapped by the nature of the fire on the 17th floor.”

The cause of the fire was still being investigated, officials said.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Phil Noble; editing by William James ande Andrew Heavens)