Flames engulf block of flats sending smoke billowing as 100 firefighters tackle inferno and 5 rushed to hospital

A HUGE team of 100 firefighters is battling a massive blaze at a London restaurant that has now engulfed flats above, with five taken to hospital.

The inferno at the takeaway in Holloway, North London, was still raging at 6am with half of the ground floor and two flats on the first and second floors on fire.

Reports of the fire on Seven Sisters Road were first received at 3.45am, with crews from Holloway, Kentish Town, Islington, Euston and others rushing to the scene.

Some 15 fire engines were sent to tackle the blaze in the early hours of this morning.

The cause remains unknown.

Five people were treated by medics before being taken to hospital.

A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 03.51am today (Thursday) to reports of a fire on Seven Sisters Road.

"We sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast response car, an incident response officer, an advanced paramedic and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team.

"We treated five people at the scene and conveyed them to hospital."

Investigators will likely examine the scene once the fire has been brought under control and the area is safe.

Station Commander Mike Watts, who is at the scene, said: "There are road closures in place and we urge people to avoid the area, particularly as we head into rush hour, due to congestion in the area.

"The fire is producing a lot of smoke in the vicinity and local residents are advised to keep their windows and doors closed while we work to bring the fire under control."