Number of casualties and houses destroyed in fires across London unknown

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “It just spread so quickly, I think the wind caused the fire to go our way towards the village.” Freya Gutteridge, 23, from nearby Hornchurch – who works in marketing, told PA:“We’re all really worried, the wind is strong and we’re seeing on the news that loads of houses are on fire and there isn’t enough fire engines. Most of us in the office live really locally so we’re all worried about families’ houses at the moment.” It was among the fires being tackled in London on Tuesday afternoon, which were: – 30 fire engines dealing with a grass fire on Pea Lane in Upminster. – Eight fire engines tackling a grass fire on Ballards Road in Dagenham. “I’ve lived in London and Kent all my life I’ve never seen anything like that before.” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Twitter: “This is critical: @LondonFire is under immense pressure.” He also said: “We simply can’t cope with the number of fires across our city directly attributable to the heatwave we’re experiencing, the dry grass, the way the fire spreads during the heatwave.”