Fire above Balham chicken shop sparks evacuation

10:25am Thursday 3rd July 2008

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Balham residents were evacuated this morning after a fire broke out above a chicken shop.

Three fire engines, a turntable ladder and around 15 firefighters were called to fight the blaze above the fast food shop in Balham High Road.

It is thought the fire started in the kitchen of a first floor flat above Tasty Chicken at 3.52am and residents were alerted by a smoke alarm.

One man was rescued by fire crews from the second floor at the rear of the building using a ladder.

Three other residents managed to leave the property before the brigade arrived. Two were taken to hospital by ambulance suffering from smoke inhalation.

The fire damaged around half of the flat and caused heavy smoke damage to neighbouring home.

Peter Truman who was evacuated from his flat on the same road this morning explained crews were forced to close the road for around an hour.

"We were just worried that the fire was going to spread. We could see thick black smoke coming out of the flat above the chicken shop," he said.

Mr Truman explained he and other residents were forced onto the street in their nightclothes.

"We were a bit tired and cold," he added.

The fire, which was battled by crews from Tooting and Clapham stations, was under control by 5.09am.

The cause of the fire is now under investigation.