Two children die in London tower block blaze

July 04, 2009 08:33:10 AM

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Two children died after a fire in a London tower block, police said Friday.

"We understand there have been two fatalities of children, one three weeks old and one seven years," a Metropolitan Police spokesman told AFP.

A total of 13 people were taken to hospital after the blaze in Camberwell, south London, most with smoke inhalation.

Some 30 people were trapped inside but have now been brought out, London Fire Brigade said, adding that the blaze was under control and there were no reports of people still trapped inside.

Around 100 firefighters were at the scene of the fire, which started on the fourth floor and spread to the 11th.

Witnesses spoke of distressing scenes as the fire, which was reported just before 4:30 pm (1530 GMT), took hold.

"There were kids screaming, there was all sorts of stuff going on," Rob Atthill told BBC television.

"The people I was with, they climbed on the roof to see what was happening and they could see faces of people in the windows, people were trying to smash windows, it didn't look very good."

An investigation will now be held into the cause of the fire.