Three individuals remain missing following a devastating fire that ripped through a residential property in East London on Boxing Day morning, with emergency services battling the blaze for several hours amid concerns for those unaccounted for.
Emergency crews rushed to a house fire in Hackney, East London, shortly after 4am on Friday, December 26, where three people are reported missing, according to the London Fire Brigade and Metropolitan Police, with the cause of the blaze under investigation.
Emergency Response to Intense Blaze
Firefighters from multiple stations, including Homerton, Bethnal Green, and Shoreditch, were mobilised to the scene on Lauriston Road in Hackney at 4:08am, according to the London Fire Brigade. The brigade deployed eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters to tackle the significant fire, which engulfed a two-storey residential building. Crews wearing breathing apparatus entered the property to search for occupants and extinguish the flames, with the fire believed to have started on the ground floor before spreading rapidly upwards. According to the Metro, the incident was declared under control by 7:20am, though crews remained on site to fully dampen the area and ensure safety.
As reported by Jacob Jarvis for Evening Standard, the London Fire Brigade confirmed that three people had not been accounted for at the time of their initial statement, with ongoing searches being conducted amid the wreckage.
Police and Fire Service Statements
The Metropolitan Police stated that they were called to the scene at approximately 4:15am following reports of the fire, with initial enquiries underway to establish the circumstances. A police spokesperson told the Evening Standard that there were “three people reported missing” and that next of kin had been informed, though no further details on their identities were released. The London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner, Patrick Goulbourne, described the response as “a significant incident” in a statement covered by the Daily Mail, noting the challenges posed by the intensity of the fire in the early morning hours.
Local Impact and Evacuations
Neighbouring properties were evacuated as a precaution, according to reports from the Hackney Gazette, with residents temporarily displaced while the scene was secured. The road was closed in both directions to facilitate emergency operations, causing disruptions in the local area during the morning rush. No injuries among firefighters or other emergency personnel were reported by the London Fire Brigade in updates relayed via the Metro.
Investigation and Community Concerns
Fire investigators have launched a probe into the cause of the fire, with the London Fire Brigade indicating that a formal investigation is underway, as per statements to the Evening Standard. The Metropolitan Police are supporting the effort, treating the incident as unexplained at this stage, and have appealed for witnesses or anyone with dash cam footage from the area to come forward. According to the Daily Mail, local residents expressed shock at the rapid escalation of the blaze, with one neighbour telling reporters that flames were visible shooting from the windows upon arrival of the first fire engines. Community leaders in Hackney have offered support to affected families, though no official statements from councillors were available in initial reports from the Hackney Gazette. The incident marks a tragic start to the Boxing Day period in the borough, following a quiet Christmas.
Three people remain unaccounted for after the Boxing Day morning fire in Hackney, East London, with the London Fire Brigade, Metropolitan Police, and fire investigators continuing their response and enquiries at the scene.
