FORTY people were evacuated from flats in Hendon as fire took hold there this morning.

The blaze broke out in a third floor flat in the block next to the A406 North Circular Road at about 2.20am.

Four fire engines and 20 firefighters were called to the scene and took nearly 90 minutes to get the flames under control.

One woman left the flat before firefighters arrived and was treated for smoke inhalation by ambulance crews. Part of the flat was damaged by the fire.

Investigators are now trying to establish what caused the fire.