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The Mall fire: Blaze hits Walthamstow shopping centre | The Mall fire: Blaze hits Walthamstow shopping centre |
(32 minutes later) | |
A huge fire has broken out at a shopping centre in east London. | A huge fire has broken out at a shopping centre in east London. |
More than 150 firefighters, with 25 fire engines, are tackling the blaze at The Mall shopping centre in Selborne Road, Walthamstow. | |
One woman has been taken to hospital, the London Ambulance Service said, and people have been warned to avoid the area. | |
The fire brigade, which was called at about 07:40 BST, said part of the roof was alight. The cause is not yet known. | |
A manager of one of the shops in the Mall, who only gave her name as Sabrina, told BBC Radio London: "I can see my store is already on fire, it's gone. So there's nothing for me to go back to. I'm really upset." | |
The Mall has 66 stores across one floor, with a small upper area for restaurants. | The Mall has 66 stores across one floor, with a small upper area for restaurants. |
Images and videos posted on social media of the scene shows smoke billowing into the air and flames lapping part of the roof. | Images and videos posted on social media of the scene shows smoke billowing into the air and flames lapping part of the roof. |
Witness Alex de Lange said: "There's massive amounts of black smoke billowing from The Mall. | Witness Alex de Lange said: "There's massive amounts of black smoke billowing from The Mall. |
"There's a helicopter and lots of fire engines and sounds like some explosions too. The bus station has been evacuated." | "There's a helicopter and lots of fire engines and sounds like some explosions too. The bus station has been evacuated." |
Elly Gresham-Scott said the "air was hazy" with ash particles. | Elly Gresham-Scott said the "air was hazy" with ash particles. |
Freddie Joyce said there were "massive high flames spreading at high speed". | Freddie Joyce said there were "massive high flames spreading at high speed". |
Fire station manager Steve Smith said: "There is a lot of smoke so we would advise local residents to keep their doors and windows closed while crews tackle the fire. | Fire station manager Steve Smith said: "There is a lot of smoke so we would advise local residents to keep their doors and windows closed while crews tackle the fire. |
"There are local road closures in place so motorists should avoid the area where possible." | "There are local road closures in place so motorists should avoid the area where possible." |
Walthamstow Central Tube station was evacuated earlier but has since re-opened, while local bus routes are on diversion. |