A man who was trapped in an industrial unit on fire in Canning Town was rescued by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus in the early hours this morning.

The man was given oxygen through a barred window while crews worked to reach him. He was treated at the scene by the London Ambulance Service and taken to hospital.

Station Manager Patrick Utting said:” Flames were coming through the roof of the unit and the man was trapped by the blaze in a room on the first floor so we had to give him oxygen through the window until the crew reached him and got him out.”

The whole of the roof and a large part of the two storey building, which housed a workshop and taxi office, was damaged by the blaze.

Eight fire engines, two each from Poplar and Plaistow fire stations and one each from Silvertown, Bow, East Ham and Whitechapel fire stations went to the scene on Shirley Street, E16.Fifty eight firefighters and officers tackled the blaze.

They isolated gas cylinders from a workshop in the building to keep them cool.

The Brigade was called at 0253 and the fire was under control by 0739.