by Brian Haran

brian.haran@essnmedia.co.uk

Firefighters were called out to five fires across South Norwood in the early hours of this morning (Saturday).

One person was rescued and two people lead to safety by firefighters after a late night blaze at a four storey block of flats.

The fire took hold on the third floor of Chandos Mansions in Albert Road, South Norwood, at around 3am.

A total of 13 people left the building before the fire brigade arrived.

To assist the other three, firefighters had to use breathing apparatus and a thermal image camera because of the thick smoke.

Eight pumps attended including one with an aerial ladder to tackle the roof blaze.

Around 25% of the third floor and 75% of the roof was destroyed.

A couple with a baby had to scramble to safety from the window of their ground floor flat in Carmichael Road at around 2am.

And at 1.20am, on the corner of Portland Road and Doyle Road, another fire broke out in a disused pub.

It set some tyres on the roof of a nearby shed alight.

The fire was under control in half an hour but crews spent another hour-and-half damping it down.

Woodside temporary watch manager Sasha Clement said: “We had to act quickly to stop the roof getting burned. We managed to save the structure of the building.

“We believe the fire was started deliberately round the back of the building."

Two bin fires were reported in St Mark's Road at 3.48am and St John's Road st 3.50am.