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Firefighters battled a huge blaze at flats next to a north London Tube station.

The fire is believed to have started in flats above a shop "three doors down" from Preston Road station.

London Fire Brigade took 43 calls from concerned members of the public about the blaze just before 8.30pm on Thursday.

Dramatic images showed huge plumes of grey smoke billow across the road.

Rob Powderly, 28, told the Standard that when he arrived at the station a shop "three doors down" was alight.

He added that firefighters forced their way into a neighbouring shop.

Mr Powderly said: "The flames got worse and began to spread towards the Tube station.

"About 10 minutes after that (the building) one door away from the station was opened with force by the fire brigade and an ambulance arrived."

Sameer Shah, 30, was forced to flee his Tube and said he could "see lots of smoke around the train".

Rose Liberty, 23, was also forced to evacuate her Tube.

She said flames "started at the small window (of the flat) and then spread up along the roof quickly".

Metropolitan Line services between Harrow on the Hill and Wembley Park were suspended.

Preston Road was part-closed while firefighters dealt with the blaze.

An LFB spokeswoman said: “Twelve fire engines and 81 firefighters and officers attended a fire at two flats above a parade of shops in Preston Road, Harrow."

London Ambulance Service were also called and took one man to hospital.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.