Two people were taken to hospital after a flat fire above a former snooker hall was on fire in Hornchurch.

Firefighters were called to the blaze at a flat above shops on North Street, at the corner of High Street, yesterday (December 1) at 2.44pm.

Most of the three-room flat on the second floor of the building was destroyed by the fire.

One man managed to escape before the London Fire Brigade arrived.

Another man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service says that two people were then taken to hospital.

Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were at the scene, before the incident was over by 4.17pm.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 2.44pm yesterday (Sunday, December 1) to reports of a fire on North Street, Hornchurch.

“We sent a number of resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, an incident response officer and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team.

“We treated two people at the scene, before conveying them to hospital.”