A pushchair fire caused a block of flats in Finsbury to be evacuated today.

London Fire Brigade were called to the five-storey building in Goswell Road at 4.44am after the stairwell filled with smoke.

Firefighters discovered that the pushchair had caught fire on the first floor landing, part of which was damaged by the blaze.

Two men and a woman were rescued from their fourth floor flats and treated for smoke inhalation and the fire was under control by 6.50am.

Twenty –one firefighters and officers from Islington, Shoreditch, Dowgate and Euston fire stations attended and LFB are still investigating what caused the pushchair to catch fire.

A brigade spokesperson said: “Although the fire was relatively small it caused a lot of smoke logging in the building. Crews put the fire out, made contact with people in the flats and after ventilating the corridor led them to safety down an internal staircase.

“Purpose-built flats are designed to withstand fire for a certain amount of time so those people who remained inside their flats did the right thing in staying put until crews reached them. The fire was in the corridor, so if they had opened their doors they could have been putting themselves in danger by exposing themselves to the fire, smoke, and fumes directly outside.”

In the early stages of the incident 999 Control Officers gave residents fire survival guidance on how to stay as safe as possible until firefighters reached them.

LFB also reiterated the importance of those in high rise buildings having an escape plan, just days after launching its “know The Plan” campaign.

There were 28 fires in Islington’s high rise buildings last year.

London Fire Brigade’s Borough Commander for Islington, Rhys Powell said: “We are working closely with landlords and housing providers in Islington who are responsible for flats and maisonettes in purpose built blocks – including low rise and high rise buildings – to ensure that they know their responsibilities and that their residents are safe and understand what to do in a fire.

“Living in a flat is not more dangerous than living in a house, but it’s important to know that your fire plan should be different.

“Flats and maisonettes are built to give you some protection from fire – a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 60.

“Walls, floors and doors will hold back flames and smoke for a time. If there is a fire elsewhere in the building but not inside your home you’re usually safer staying in your flat unless heat or smoke is affecting you.”

To find out more about the campaign go to www.knowtheplan.co.uk