Three people have been taken to hospital following a blaze which destroyed a cluttered flat in Thamesmead and took 40 firefighters to control.

Six fire engines were called to the blaze in Chadwick Way shortly before 8am.

A first floor flat in a three-storey block was destroyed by the flames and part of a second floor flat was also damaged.

Four people managed to leave the building before the brigade arrived and a man and two women were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.

Station Commander Lisa King, who was at the scene, issued a safety plea against hoarding habits following the incident after excess items were found to have prohibited access to firefighters.

She said: "Crews were faced with a very well developed fire when they arrived and worked hard to bring the blaze under control.

"There were a lot of possessions and clutter in the property which made it challenging for firefighters.

"Hoarding means exit routes can become blocked, making safe evacuation more difficult.

"Fires can also spread much faster, especially when there are flammable items such as newspapers or cardboard."

The fire was brought under control by 9am with the assistance of crews from Plumstead, Erith, Bexley and East Greenwich fire stations.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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