Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters attended the blaze on the fourth floor of the Red Lion pub in the early hours of Saturday, reports Marco Marcelline
A fire which damaged hotel rooms above a popular Leytonstone pub on Saturday (17th May) was caused by discarded cigarettes.
At 4am on Saturday, six fire engines and around 40 firefighters attended the blaze at the Red Lion pub in Leytonstone High Road.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said a section of the fourth floor, which houses several hotel rooms, was damaged by the fire.
Seven people left the building before crews arrived, and there are no reports of any injuries.
The fire was brought under control by 6.46am. Firefighters from Leytonstone, Leyton, Walthamstow, and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.
A spokesperson from the LFB said the “accidental” fire was caused by the “unsafe disposal” of smoking material.
They advised the public to always make sure cigarettes are put right out and disposed of properly.
The Echo understands that the pub’s 350-capacity ballroom, which is sandwiched between the ground floor pub and the hotel rooms, suffered water damage.
The Red Lion recently underwent a £750,000 refurbishment.
The renovation was at the behest of owners Urban Pubs & Bars (UPB), who took over in September 2024 when its previous owner fell into administration.
Aside from also doubling up as a ten-bedroom boutique hotel, the pub has a large beer garden, which now features new covered booths and street-art inspired murals.
UPB was contacted for comment.
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly or annually
More Information about donations
