Firefighters suspect a massive Battersea blaze was caused when an infra-red massage heater was knocked onto a pile of newspapers.

Battersea fire station’s watch manager Larry Lawes said it appeared the fire, which broke out in a Bullen Street block of flats yesterday, was caused when a 76-year-old dropped the massage machine on the floor setting light to his collection of newspapers.

Mr Lawes said: “The man appears to be a bit of a hoarder. The flat was full of paper and when the heater fell on the floor he says it all went up in flames within seconds, engulfing the whole kitchen.”

He explained the man had to crawl out of the flat before being helped out of the block by a neighbour.

Mr Lawes said he was treated or smoke inhalation and minor burns.

Firefighters are still awaiting an official report on the cause of the fire which started in the fifth floor flat just after 10am.

The kitchen is said to be completely gutted and other rooms badly damaged by smoke.

At the time of the incident police cordoned off the road and people living in the street were told to stay in their houses because of fears of explosions.

However Mr Lawes said there had been no danger to the public.

The road was closed off for the firefighters to battle the blaze safely but reopened at 1.30pm.

In total four fire engines from Fulham, Clapham and Battersea fire stations attended the scene and firefighters spent several hours tackling the blaze.