A child has died after a hazardous materials incident at a flat in east London. The tragedy unfolded on Tuesday afternoon after two adults and two children sought hospital treatment due to a chemical smell in their Barking Road property in Upton Park, Newham.
Emergency services received the first call at 1:18pm and immediately deployed specially trained firefighters from Poplar, Millwall, Euston, and surrounding stations. The London Fire Brigade confirmed: "Sadly, a child has died following a hazardous materials incident in Newham. Crews were mobilised to a property on Barking Road, Upton Park, after two adults and two children attended hospital complaining about a smell of chemicals in a flat. Sadly, one of the children later died in hospital whilst receiving treatment."
Emergency Response and Evacuations
Emergency crews evacuated around 12 residents from surrounding properties as a precautionary measure while emergency crews worked at the scene. Specialist firefighters conducted a systematic sweep of the affected property to detect any hazardous materials and ventilate the area. The operation concluded at 4:23pm, more than three hours after the initial emergency call.
Investigation Underway
The Metropolitan Police have launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, supported by the London Fire Brigade. Reports of hazardous chemicals in the residential property prompted police to attend the scene at around 1:20pm.
Newham Council expressed condolences to the family, stating: "First of all, our thoughts are with the family of the young child who has so tragically lost their life in this terrible incident. Details about the exact nature of the incident are not yet clear, and the Metropolitan Police will remain on the scene as the investigation progresses. As a council, we have taken speedy measures to ensure those residents who were evacuated are being cared for in a warm, safe environment."
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
