A fire has brought Putney High Street to a standstill with ten fire engines flooding into the area to tackle the blaze.
The fire was discovered around 4pm in the flats above the former Liliya art gallery opposite Putney Station and within minutes the entire upper end of Putney High Street was swamped with fire crews and ambulances.
According to eye witnesses, firefighters managed to get the flames under control quickly, but not before one man was rescued from the burning building.
The casualty was wheeled out on a stretcher, conscious but needing an oxygen mask, and rushed to hospital by ambulance crews.
Chaos has erupted on the already extremely busy street as police closed it in both directions. Buses have been diverted and cars turned around, leaving schoolchildren stranded as they tried to get home. Massive disruption has been reported across Putney.
“There was soot all around the upstairs windows and it smelled like burnt plastic,” said one witness. “You could see the smoke from down the street.”
The emergency response saw fire crews from across London descend on the scene. Firefighters in high-vis jackets cordoned off the area while their colleagues battled the flames inside.
Local businesses watched nervously as the drama unfolded. Staff at nearby Jaki said the fire was over within half an hour thanks to the quick work of the fire brigade.
The road closure caused major headaches for commuters trying to get through Putney during rush hour. Buses were forced onto lengthy diversions while emergency crews finished their work.
This is a developing story. We will update as more information arrives.
