A fire has broken out at a suspected cannabis factory in Walthamstow in east London.
80 firefighters along with 12 fire engines have been called out to tackle the blaze, which has ripped through the ground floor, first floor and roof in the two-storey property.
Crews from Walthamstow, Chingford, Woodford, Leyton, Tottenham, Edmonton, Homerton, Stratford, Enfield and Holloway fire stations have been deployed in response.
A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said: “Cannabis factory fires can be particularly dangerous because of the way criminals use unsafe wiring to illegally obtain electricity in order to grow the plants.
“They’re often in top floors or lofts which means when a fire takes hold it spreads, destroying roofs and damaging neighbouring buildings.
“Firefighters can also be exposed to risks when dealing with the fires because of bad wiring and traps at some of the properties.
Crews from Walthamstow, Chingford, Woodford, Leyton, Tottenham, Edmonton, Homerton, Stratford, Enfield and Holloway fire stations have been deployed
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LONDON FIRE BRIGADE
“It’s important that people know the key signs and inform the police so that they can act swiftly to prevent these dangerous fires from happening.”
London Fire Brigade has said that while the cause of the fire is not yet known, it is now under control.
According to the Home Office, around 150 fires occur at cannabis farms in England each year.
However, the true number is likely to be far higher due to the Home Office only collecting data from 31 out of 44 fire and rescue services.
