Firefighters tackle Boxing Day blaze at high-rise

Media caption,

Smoke pours from top floor flat in Leeds block (Video courtesy of Moira Sexton)

  • Published

Fire crews tackled a blaze in a flat on the top floor of a 10-storey Leeds tower block.

Emergency services were called to Alderton Heights in Moortown at 09:23 GMT after a fire broke out.

Footage showed smoke pouring from a window with large flames visible inside the flat.

Moira Sexton, who lives nearby, said she saw a small fire by the balcony door quickly turn into a "fierce fire" which "melted" adjacent windows.

Image source, Gary Hinchliffe
Image caption,

The blaze saw a large response from the emergency services

Mrs Sexton told the BBC: "Black smoke started coming out and the windows exploded and popped.

"The fire was really fierce at this point, the noises were odd, like popping and fizzling."

The fire, which was contained to one flat, has since been extinguished, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed at 11:30 GMT.

A person was left in the care of Yorkshire Ambulance Service, a fire service spokesperson said, with crews continuing to assist residents.

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