Children in hospital after fire at block of flats

Three children have been taken to hospital after a fire ripped through a three-storey block of flats in north London.

About 70 firefighters tackled the blaze at the building in Maybury Close, Enfield, where the entire roof and most of the second floor were on fire.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said 14 people had left the building before its crews arrived and the children were suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation. Police added their conditions are not life-threatening or life-changing.

The LFB said it received the first of more than a dozen calls about the blaze at 05:19 BST, and crews were sent from across north London and Hertfordshire.

The fire service was alerted to the blaze just before 05:20 BST

Vicky Gardner, who lives near the flats, told BBC News she was leaving the house to walk her dogs at 5:15, when she "noticed that there were flames coming from the flats at the end of the street.

"A neighbour... then went and banged on the doors to alert the residents. They evacuated and the fire brigade turned up."

The LFB said the fire was under control within about four hours

She said that on Sunday the LFB and police responded to a fire alert in the same block of flats "that turned out to be false".

Ms Gardner added: "[It's] really horrible for the residents, those poor people have lost everything."

Another neighbour said people went in to the building to help residents escape.

Nurcan Ozcan said: "A Turkish boy helped take out all of the neighbours because they were sleeping."

Nurcan Ozcan says she was shocked by the fire

"He took out all of the people including one who was disabled. It was just like watching a movie," she added.

"It's so sad. We've had neighbours who've been living together for 25 years. Now nobody's there, it's a shock."

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said its officers were working with the LFB to investigate the cause of the fire.

No arrests have been made.