TWO people were rescued by firefighters after a flat blaze in Stroud Green.

Emergency crews raced to Hanley Road on Sunday afternoon where part of Shelley Court was alight.

The second and third floor of the four-storey building was damaged in the fire.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued two residents – believed to be an aunt and her nephew – from the flat using the internal staircase and a ladder.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the London Fire Brigade and the Met Police.

A burning plastic smell first alerted residents to the fire.

Sum Sze Tam, who lives in the road, said: “I couldn’t see any flames, but there was a consistent stream of smoke coming out of one of the windows, then after a few seconds there was a huge plume of quite dark smoke that looked like it was coming out of the back.”

Residents praised the emergency services for their quick response.

“I was very impressed,” said Ms Tam. “They literally ran off the fire truck before it stopped moving and quickly cleared people away.”

Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from West Hampstead, Stoke Newington, Islington, Hornsey and Shoreditch fire stations were at the scene.

The London Fire Brigade was called at around 1.30pm and the fire was under control 45 minutes later.