11 in hospital after huge fire rips through London apartment block

A huge fire at a residential building in London's upscale South Kensington neighbourhood in the early hours of Friday has put 11 people in hospital and led to around 130 being evacuated, fire officials said.

Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters were called to the fire at a terraced house converted into apartments on Emperor's Gate, in the southwest of the British capital, close to the Natural History Museum.

Half of the ground floor of the five-storey building was alight when they arrived, the London Fire Brigade said on X, formerly Twitter.

"The fire has spread from the ground floor to the top floor and roof. Crews are working hard to... stop it spreading to adjacent buildings," said Station Commander Steve Collins, who was at the scene.

Five people were rescued using ladders, with around 130 residents evacuated from the property and neighbouring buildings.

"Around 11 people have been treated for smoke inhalation and taken to hospital," the fire service added.