A man was taken to hospital after a flat fire in West Ham.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus led the man to safety from the flat on the first floor of a two-storey detached house in Park Road.

Most of the three-roomed flat was damaged by the fire on the morning of Wednesday, March 24.

Four people left the building before London Fire Brigade crews arrived.

Station Cmdr Michael Palmer, who was at the scene, said: “On arrival, crews found a lot of possessions and clutter inside the flat which made the incident challenging.

"Hoarding means exit routes can become blocked, making safe evacuation more difficult.

"Fires can also spread much faster, especially when there are flammable items such as newspapers or cardboard."

The brigade was called at 9.21am, with three fire engines and 15 crew members from nearby stations attending.

It was under control shortly after 10.30am.

London Fire Brigade investigators believe it was caused by an unattended tea light.

“Candles, incense sticks and oil burners are one of the most common causes of fire,” Mr Palmer said.

“It’s really important that you never leave them unattended and keep them away from anything that could catch fire - such as curtains, furniture or clothes.”