Published: January 19, 2012
by TOM FOOT and EMILY WIGHT

A TOWER block fire that led to the evacuation of more than 100 residents was started by a candle in a flat where it is believed the tenant had no electricity.

Late on Monday the fire in Taplow, one of the blocks that make up the Chalcot estate in Swiss Cottage, began after a “huge amount” of papers, books and magazines stored inside the 17th-floor flat caught light.

Forty firefighters tackled the flames between 10pm and 2.30am. Amazingly, no one was injured.

Shashi Ebushan, who works at the nearby Spar mini-supermarket, said: “People were crying – there were babies, mothers, young children.

“Flames were coming out of the window and the glass was breaking down. The neighbours next door to the flat couldn’t get out. They were screaming, ‘please help us, please let us out’.”

Taplow tenant Youcef Kessai said: “We heard people shouting and everyone was coming down the stairs. Neighbours were knocking on doors.”

The Winchester Project community centre threw open its doors as a refuge until 2.30am when tenants were able to return home.

Sources have told the New Journal that the tenant in the flat where the fire started had chosen not to have electricity supplied to his flat. He is in his 60s and the Town Hall confirmed he is now living in temporary accommodation provided by the council.

External damage to the building was visible on Tuesday afternoon as council workers cleared up debris.

Belsize councillor Jonny Bucknell, who lives nearby, said: “These things are very distressing. But it’s good to know that when things go wrong the services are there to sort it out.”

Kentish Town fire ­station manager Rod Horton, who was at the scene, said: “Crews worked extremely hard to get the fire under control and to confine the fire to just one flat.”

“The cause of the fire was accidental and is believed to have been caused by a candle setting alight some papers. There were a huge amount of papers, magazines and books stored in the flat.”

Taplow was given a multi-million-pound council refurbishment in 2010 through a Private Finance Initiative.

A spokeswoman for Camden Council said: “The infrastructure of the building worked very well and this allowed the Fire Brigade to contain the fire to just to one flat. After meeting with residents displaced by the fire today, their feedback on the response from both the council and Fire Brigade was overwhelmingly positive. We will continue to offer support to residents who require our assistance.”

The spokesman added: “There were no issues with the electrical infrastructure serving the flat where the fire started. However, we are unsure as to the electricity supply arrangements the tenant had in place with his energy supplier.”

• Additional reporting by Don Ryan