A tumble dryer is thought to have caused a fire which tore through a kitchen at a house in Custom House early this morning.

Around 20 firefighters from Plaistow, Silvertown and Poplar tackled the blaze in Butchers Road at about 1.50am.

Everybody inside the house managed to escape unhurt, despite the ferocity of the fire, which took hold on the second floor.

Crews used breathing apparatus to enter the property and put out the flames. The incident was under control by 4am.

Plaistow White Watch manager Martin Knight said the occupants were woken up by their smoke alarm.

He said: “I dread to think what might have happened at that time of night with not many people up.

“We believe it might have been caused by the tumble dryer. It can be quite common because you get a build-up of fibres.

“It is still under investigation.”