Residents flee flats after shop below catches fire

Flats on the second and third floors of the building were affected by smoke

People living above a shop managed to get to safety after a woman spotted that the building was on fire.

Five flats were affected by smoke in Market Square, Waltham Abbey, during the early hours of Wednesday.

The blaze started inside an air conditioning unit on the ground floor, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said.

"Fortunately, a member of the public saw the smoke, called 999 and shouted to the occupants in the flats above the shop to get out," said watch manager Glenn Jackson.

"We'd like to praise her for her actions, particularly as none of the smoke alarms in the flats sounded."

Four crews attended the incident, which was reported at about 03:15 BST. The fire was out by 04:35 BST.