Terrified residents of the Aldgate East tower block which dramatically caught fire on Monday have told of how their calls to install communal fire alarms after previous blazes were refused.<br />Flames ripped through flats on the 17th floor of the building and left several homes gutted, with shocked onlookers fearing they could have been witnessing another tragedy like Grenfell Tower.<br />Panes of glass fell 17 storeys to the street as the fire raged and surrounding roads were closed.<br />More than 120 firefighters had to battle the blaze in the Relay Building, in Whitechapel High Street, and fortunately there were no fatalities, with two people taken to hospital.<br />Dozens had to be evacuated from the block despite the building having the same ‘stay put’ policy as Grenfell, with some residents only finding out about the blaze on WhatsApp.<br />
