Lewisham fire: Boy, 12, dies and woman rushed to hospital as blaze rips through flat

A 12-year-old boy has died and a woman is in hospital following a massive blaze at a flat which was tackled by dozens of firefighters.

Emergency services were called to the scene shortly before midnight and firefighters from Greenwich, Lewisham, Lee Green and surrounding stations remained overnight tackling the flames while people were told to avoid the area. Residents across Lewisham expressed worry on social media at the fire in the five-room maisonette in the London borough.

And now London Fire Brigade has sadly confirmed that a young boy has lost his life while a woman has been taken to hospital in the blaze which has said that a maisonette was destroyed. A spokesperson said: "Sadly, a boy has died following a fire in Lewisham. Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters tackled a fire at a block of maisonettes on Lewisham Road, Lewisham.

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"A maisonette split between the ground and first floors was destroyed by the fire. Part of a maisonette split between the second and third floors was damaged by the fire along with a small part of the external fascia of the building.

"One woman was treated on scene by London Ambulance Service and taken to hospital. Three further people left the building before the Brigade arrived. Sadly, a boy died at the scene.

"The Brigade's Drone Team were deployed to provide the Incident Commander with an aerial view of the fire. Control Officers took the first of 14 calls at 2355 and mobilised crews to the scene from Greenwich, Lewisham, Lee Green and surrounding fire stations. The fire was under control by 0202. The cause of the fire is under investigation."

A neighbour told The Mirror this morning she saw a resident jump from the second-floor apartment to the communal garden when the flames took hold. She said: "I saw relatives asking police if their family members had been found. One person jumped from the second floor into the communal garden area when everything caught fire.

"We first heard people running and screaming around midnight, and then there was a series of loud noises that sounded like gunshots, followed by glass shattering. It seems those were the noises of the fire damage. Firefighters and police arrived quickly."

Someone in the area posted on X: "Big fire in block of Flats in Lewisham, hope they get out ok." Another shared: "Huge fire up Modern hill road Lewisham ambulances and fire engines everywhere."