Six people died, including a three-week-old baby and two children aged 6 and 7, when fire swept through a block of flats yesterday.

More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at the 12-storey tower block in Camberwell, South London, which broke out at about 4.15pm. The fire spread rapidly, engulfing seven floors and trapping 30 people who had to be rescued in “extremely difficult circumstances”.

The blaze was brought under control by early evening and firefighters continued to search the building in Havil Street. Sixteen ambulances stood by, as well as eight duty officers from the London Ambulance Service and a hazard response team.

Twenty people, many of them suffering from smoke inhalation, were taken to three London hospitals — King’s College Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, and Lewisham Hospital.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “It is understood that there have been six fatalities. A child believed aged three weeks old, a seven-year-old child and a woman were taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

“A further three people were pronounced dead at the scene, a child aged approximately six years old, a woman in her 30s and an adult.”

Paul Glenny, a firefighter who fought the blaze, said: “I’ve been in the job for 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like it. The hot weather and the fact that people’s windows were open made the fire what it was.”

Residents evacuated from the surrounding area were last night sheltering in an emergency centre in a nearby church hall set up by Southwark council and the British Red Cross while arrangements were being made to provide additional emergency accommodation in council premises.

Sarah Gresty, who lives in Havil Street, said that she saw a column of flames and smoke going up a number of floors of the block of flats.

“It was very alarming seeing it,” she said. “The fire was going in quite a few flats. It was shocking to see the quantities of smoke and flames.”

While it was too early to determine how the fire started, London Fire Brigade said that it was believed to have broken out on the fourth floor and spread quickly to the 11th floor.

Following the first of a “large number of calls” at 4.19pm, 18 engines, a range of special appliances and more than 100 firefighters were involved in the fight to put the fire out and rescue 30 people who were in “immediate peril”, the fire brigade spokesman said.

Michael Thompson, 17, who lives in the tower block, said: “There was a big bang that sounded like an explosion. People were screaming. I heard people shouting ‘Fire, fire’.

“I called 999 when I saw the flames and they said they were already on their way. I could smell the smoke from inside my flat so I closed the windows. This black smoke was pouring out of the windows.”

Ian Wingfield, a Southwark councillor who represents Brunswick Park, the ward in which the flats are situated, said that there were 108 flats in the block. The 1960s building on the Sceaux Gardens Estate is owned and managed by the council.

“This is an extremely tragic incident,” Mr Wingfield said. “The condolences of myself and my other colleagues on the council go out to the families involved. We hope that we can sort matters out as quickly as possible so that people are put in accommodation. But we are not going to move people back in there until all the health and safety aspects have been covered.”

Nick Stanton, the council leader, said: “On behalf of Southwark council, I would like to extend all our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of those who have tragically died in this fire.

“I am in awe of the courage and professionalism of the fire brigade and other emergency services.”

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