Seventy firefighters tackle Hackney Central Travelodge blaze

Around 70 firefighters and ten fire engines were called to a hotel fire on Amhurst Road yesterday afternoon, in an incident that forced the evacuation of 16 people but no injuries were reported.

The fire broke out in two rooms on the fifth and sixth floors of the Travelodge near Hackney Central station. Those evacuated were taken to a rest centre and left in the care of the local authority.

As smoke billowed from the building, residents nearby were urged to keep their windows and doors shut. The London Fire Brigade also warned that the incident would disrupt traffic on Amhurst Road and surrounding streets while crews worked.

The blaze is being treated as accidental, and is believed to have been caused by the unsafe use of incense sticks.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said incense sticks, candles and oil burners were among the most common causes of fire in the home, and should never be left unattended.

“Make sure you place incense sticks in a suitable, fire-resistant holder and keep them away from curtains and anything else that can easily catch fire,” the spokesperson said. “Remember to put them out entirely when you leave the room and especially before bed.”

The brigade took the first of 16 calls at 4.52pm, mobilising crews from Homerton, Bethnal Green, Shoreditch, Islington and surrounding stations. A 32-metre turntable ladder from Tottenham was also deployed as an observation tower.

The fire was brought under control by 6.20pm.