'Our tower block blaze escape route was locked and alarms didn't sound'

Mum of two reveals terrifying ordeal in Dagenham fire

- Giles Sheldrick

A YOUNG mum forced to flee a tower block inferno in her pyjamas said she feared she would die when she found an escape route padlocked.

Cydney Parker, 26, said she heard no alarm when the blaze broke out despite them often sounding for no apparent reason at other times.

Fortunately, she was able to get to safety with a young female relative after noticing fire engines outside the Spectrum building in Dagenham, east London, in the early hours of Monday.

Smoke

The mum of two said: "I've looked outside and seen loads of fire engines pull up. I looked through the front door and the whole corridor was covered in thick black smoke.

"We had to run and we realised the [exterior] fire gate had been padlocked shut so we couldn't get out.