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A huge fire has broken out at a block of high rise flats has caught fire on the outskirts of Belfast, in scenes scarily reminiscent of London's Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The blaze broke out on the ninth floor of the Coolmoyne House tower block at Seymour Hill in Dunmurry.

Residents were reported to have said they feel "lucky to be alive" and couldn't get the Grenfell tragedy out of their minds as they were evacuated.

Images appear to show multiple floors alight with flames, and several others affected by the smoke.

One person has been taken to hospital by ambulance with one person needing to be rescued from the building.

Numerous other residents were led to safety by fire crews.

The fire was under control within 40 minutes of firefighters receiving the emergency call, according to the Northern Ireland Fire Services.

The blaze had chilling echoes of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, which occurred in London back in June, killing 80 residents.

It is not yet clear what caused the fire at Coolmoyne House but it is believed that the building did not use the same cladding as that which exacerbated the blaze at Grenfell.

(Image: Facebook) (Image: Facebook)

(Image: PA)

(Image: PA)

Hundreds of residents have been forced to gather in the streets, with a nearby community hall opened for them to shelter in.

Speaking to BBC Northern Ireland, community worker Julie Ann Jackson said: "They got everybody out."

Another witness, who was driving past the tower block said he thought he saw steam coming from the top of the building.

He said: "It was sort of frightening. After what happened in England [Grenfell Tower], you think to yourself, is this another one?"

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said: "We received a call at 5.40pm from the Northern Ireland Fire Services to reports of a fire on the ninth floor of Coolmoyne House.

"Four Accident and Emergency crews, five rapid response paramedics, seven ambulance officers, one doctor and two heart paramedics attended the scene.

"Four people were led to safety by the Northern Ireland Fire Service and handed over to the Ambulance Service for assessment.

(Image: Facebook) (Image: Facebook)

(Image: PA) (Image: PA)

(Image: PA)

(Image: Photopress Belfast)

"One person has been taken to hospital with minor injuries and the three others are still being assessed at the scene."

A Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service spokesman added: "NIFRS received a call to Coolmoyne House, Dunmurry, Belfast at 17.32 today. A total of eleven fire appliances were mobilised to this incident.

"On arrival, the Fire & Rescue Service were faced with a well-developed fire on the ninth floor of a block of flats. The prompt intervention of our firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control and it was extinguished at 18.10.

"One person has been rescued and a number of residents were led to safety. Crews remain on scene dealing with the incident. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.

(Image: PA)

(Image: PA)

(Image: @AaronAgnew_/Twitter)

(Image: @RobertCullenCFC/Twitter) (Image: Photopress Belfast)

(Image: Photopress Belfast)

"The Fire & Rescue Service are still in attendance and would like to reassure the public that this incident does not provide any further risk to the public."

One Twitter user, who posted a picture of the flames on Twitter, wrote: "Praying all are safe, as fire engulfs Coolmoyne House, Seymour Hill."

Ryan Smith added: "Incredible work from emergency services at Coolmoyne House tongiht. Residents safe after a fire in one of the flats."

Ms Jackson said that safety drills had recently been carried out at the block, which is owned and operated by Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

The public body, which manages 87,000 homes, is now investigating the fire and tweeted to confirm that staff were on site in Seymour Hill, and working with residents and the fire service.

In a statement, the Housing Executive said: "Our immediate concern is with the residents at Coolmoyne House.

"Staff have been on site following the fire in a flat this evening and are on hand to offer emergency accommodation to any resident who requires it.

"The cause of the fire is now under investigation by the NIFRS and we will be co-operating with them fully.

""We would like to commend the Northern Ireland Fire And Rescue Service, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and the PSNI for the immediate response."

The safety drills that were sought after by a councillor came as a result of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June.

It is believed 80 people were killed in the London fire, which is being investigated by the Met Police.

New figures from the Home Office show that the disaster accounted for more than a quarter of all residential fire deaths in England in the past year.

(Image: PA)

(Image: PA)

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has recently called for the retrofitting of sprinklers in all council tower blocks.

He says Chancellor Philip Hammond should use next month’s Budget to set aside £1billion to protect residents living in high rises from another Grenfell disaster.

Ministers have so far refused to provide funding for councils to retrofit sprinklers.

Despite the Grenfell tragedy, only 2% of the 4,000 tower blocks in Britain have sprinkler systems.

But independent research shows that sprinklers contain or extinguish fires in 99% of cases.