Two woman have been rescued by firefighters after smoke spread from a fire at a shop in Maida Vale on Sunday (October 9).

Crew wearing breathing apparatus entered the flat above the shop in Shirland Road just before 6am using a ladder and plucked them to safety.

They were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Station manager Catherine Reeve, who is at the scene, said: “Crew members worked really hard in challenging and heavily smoke logged conditions to confine the fire to the ground floor of the building.

“The fire was stopped from spreading to other parts of the building and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were able to rescue two women from a rear window using a short extension ladder.”

Fire crews from North Kensington, Paddington , Kensington and Kentish Town attended the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.