Tory Politician Rushed Into Burning Barking Building To Rescue Residents

10 June 2019, 09:09 | Updated: 10 June 2019, 09:35

A London Assembly Member rushed into the fire in a block of flats in Barking to rescue residents as flames engulfed the building.

Andrew Boff, who stood to be the Conservative candidate to be Mayor of London, told LBC that he went into the block of flats on De Pass Gardens in Barking.

About 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines were used to put out the fire, while homes were evacuated and roads closed to the public.

Speaking to LBC this morning, Mr Boff said it was "unforgivable" that fire alarms did not work in the building.

He said: "I was alerted by neighbours shouting in the street. I looked out of my window and couldn't believe what I was looking at. The two floors of the building behind me were engulfed in flames.

"Instinct kicked in and some of us rushed in to make sure that everybody was alerted in the building as we could see it was spreading.

"In that three minutes of going around, knocking on the doors and pulling people out, it then engulfed the entire front of the building, so five or six floors were covered in flames. The heat was intense.

"The most curious thing was there were no fire alarms. That's been an issue for these buildings the fire alarms don't work which is why they have fire wardens sitting there at night. The fire alarms - I think that's unforgivable.

"There wasn't time to think, you just try to get everyone out."