North London Takeaway Fire Hospitalizes Five

A fire at a north London takeaway resulted in five individuals being hospitalized for smoke inhalation. The blaze, which started at 03:45 GMT on Thursday on Seven Sisters Road in Holloway, required more than four hours and the efforts of 100 firefighters to bring it under control. According to the London Fire Brigade (LFB), the ground-floor restaurant was destroyed, and its roof collapsed. Additionally, portions of two flats situated on the first and second floors sustained damage from the fire. The origin of the fire remains undetermined and is currently under investigation by the LFB and the Metropolitan Police. The brigade issued an appeal for the public to avoid the affected area. A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service confirmed that those injured received treatment at the site before being transported to a hospital. The spokesperson stated: “We sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast response car, an incident response officer, an advanced paramedic and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team.” The LFB reported receiving 19 calls regarding the incident, with 15 fire engines, including crews from Kentish Town, Islington, and Euston, responding to the location. Separately on Thursday, the fire service dispatched 10 fire engines and approximately 70 firefighters to a different fire in West Hampstead, which was brought under control around 05:20. This separate blaze originated in an end-of-terrace house, which had been converted into flats, located on Lyncroft Gardens. A section of the building’s roof was ablaze, and firefighters safely evacuated approximately 25 individuals; no injuries were reported from this incident. Station Commander Ken Spratt, present at the scene, stated: “West Hampstead Fire Station has been set up as a rest centre for residents affected by the fire.” The initial call to the LFB for this incident was made at 03:09, with crews from West Hampstead, Paddington, North Kensington, Hendon, and nearby fire stations responding.