London apartment fire kills man in Poplar residential tower

A man died in a fire early Saturday morning in a 17th-floor flat at the Neutron Tower in Poplar, East London. The blaze, which occurred in a 22-storey residential block, prompted a response from approximately 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed that two adults and one child were rescued from the burning apartment using breathing apparatus. Approximately 50 other residents evacuated the building before emergency services arrived and were directed to a rest centre.

Residents reported that they did not hear building alarms and were instead alerted by neighbors shouting and knocking on doors. Some tenants noted a lack of emergency lighting in the stairwells and claimed that smoke detectors within their individual units did not activate.

The LFB is currently investigating various factors to determine the cause of the fire. The building's management company, FirstPort, stated it would not speculate on specific details while the investigation remains ongoing.