ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

More than 80 firefighters were tackling a blaze at a block of flats and offices near to the Shard in central London.

Smoke and flames billowed from the roof of the five-storey building in Southwark on Tuesday afternoon.

Twelve fire engines and 81 firefighters were sent to the scene of the blaze in Great Guildford Street shortly before 4pm, London Fire Brigade said.

Dramatic images showed smoke pouring from the roof of the building while emergency services vehicles swarmed the street below.

The fire had broken out inside a third floor flat and was brought under control by 6.30pm, an LFB spokesman said.

Part of the third floor and the fourth floor in the block was alight. Crews also reported heavy smoke logging on the fourth floor of the building.

On social media, witnesses described seeing scores of firefighters and police officers and a huge cordon put in place.

One Twitter user said: "It's all kicking off on #UnionStreet 8 fire engines and 58 firefighters! I hope everyone is ok!"

Penny Walshe tweeted: "Super quick response from @LondonFire to incident on Great Guildford Street. Hope everybody safe. #Bankside."

Corinna Gillies posted: "Fire on Union Street #SE1. Fire brigade doing a great job."

Crews from Dowgate, Dockhead, Lambeth, Clapham, Soho, Whitechapel, Old Kent Road, Islington, Shoreditch, Euston, Brixton and Homerton fire stations were attending.

Station Manager Mark Reed who was at the scene said: “When crews arrived, thick smoke was drifting across the rooftops of Southwark and our control centre received multiple calls about the fire.

"Crews worked quickly to contain the fire and minimise it’s spread and they will now be cutting away at the building to ensure that the fire is not smouldering in ceiling and wall voids."

The cause of the fire is not known at this stage. Nobody was injured.