Poplar, London — Neighbours rushed along dim corridors banging on doors to alert residents to a flat fire on the 17th floor of Neutron Tower in east London after many said they did not hear alarms, witnesses told BBC London.
Residents say alarms did not warn them
Several occupants described chaotic scenes as they evacuated in the early hours. Katarzyna, who lives on the fifth floor with her husband and two children, said she and her family were only alerted when fellow residents shouted and pounded on doors.
"A neighbour from the 19th floor, she smelled the smoke from her apartment... We grabbed our passports and got out - it was pandemonium and my husband was banging on all the doors on the fifth floor to alert neighbours," Katarzyna told BBC London.
She added that the stairwell was in complete darkness and that the smoke and heat alarms inside their flat did not go off. Another resident, Priya Armstrong-Pond of the seventh floor, reported recent flooding within the building and said communal areas were without power.
Firefighters rescued three people; one man died
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued two adults and a child. A man died in the flat fire on the 17th floor, the LFB said. The Brigade's Fire Investigation Team is examining a range of factors to determine the cause.
Building management firm FirstPort said it would not be appropriate to speculate while the investigation is ongoing.
Resident reports of flooding and power issues
Priya told reporters there had been flooding in communal areas the previous evening, describing water on stairs and landings and lifts with water inside them. She said that while power remained on in her flat, the communal areas were dark.
The accounts point to multiple failures or malfunctions at a critical moment: claims of ineffective alarms, lack of emergency lighting in stairwells and recent water ingress that may have affected communal systems.
- Location: Neutron Tower, Poplar, east London
- Floor of fire: 17th floor
- Casualties/rescued: One man died; two adults and a child rescued
- Investigation: London Fire Brigade Fire Investigation Team examining cause
| Detail | Reported |
|---|---|
| Alarm activation | Residents said alarms did not go off |
| Emergency lighting | Reported as absent in stairwell |
| Communal power | Residents reported it was off at time of evacuation |
| Flooding | Flooding in communal areas reported the previous day |
Local residents I spoke to expressed anger and alarm. "We could have lost more people," one tenant said, highlighting how neighbours took direct action by waking others and guiding them to safety. Such accounts raise urgent questions about who is responsible for ensuring that life-safety systems are maintained and functioning.
Accountability and next steps
The building’s management company, FirstPort, has so far declined to comment on specifics while enquiries proceed. The LFB has a statutory role in investigating fire origins and circumstances; their findings will be central to any further action by regulators or the landlord.
For residents of tall buildings, this incident underscores how quickly emergencies can escalate, and the reliance placed on alarm systems, emergency lighting and clear evacuation routes. Tenants and leaseholders seeking reassurance should ask their managing agents for recent records of alarm and emergency lighting tests, and for details of any reported water ingress or maintenance issues.
As the LFB continues its investigation, local councillors and housing safety bodies will be watching closely to see whether systemic failings contributed to the fatal outcome. I will remain on the ground in Poplar to report updates as official findings emerge and as residents press for answers.
Aisha Rahman, acting as London correspondent, reported from Poplar
