A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after one person, believed to be a woman, died in a fire at a block of flats in east London.

Five others were taken to hospital following the blaze on Tollgate Road in Beckton, Newham, at around 5.28pm on Thursday.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) said the person who died was found in a second-floor flat and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for LFB said: “The stairwell from the ground floor to the second floor of a residential block was destroyed by fire. Half of the second floor was also damaged by the blaze.”

Police said investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “It is believed that there has been one female fatality and a number of others injured.

“One male has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident and inquiries are ongoing.”

The London Ambulance Service said five ambulance crews and the air ambulance attended the scene.

A spokesperson said: “We treated five patients before taking them to hospital.

“Sadly, a person was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz, said she was “deeply saddened” by the incident.

She wrote on Twitter: “Deepest thanks to @LFBNewham fire fighters, @MPSNewham and @Ldn_Ambulance for their emergency response efforts.

“@NewhamLondon officers are working closely with them to support affected residents.”

She added: “We are deeply saddened by the news that there has been one fatality already from the fire that broke out in flats in Beckton.

“Our deepest condolences to loved ones now in mourning.”