Two of the people who jumped for their lives from a blazing flat hit the pavement face first, says an eyewitness.

Three people are in hospital after four jumped from a first floor window when flames ripped through their flat above Crossland Estate Agents in Woodford Avenue, Gants Hill at 10.15pm yesterday.

It took a team of 30 firefighters more than two-and-a-half hours to get the fire under control.

Eyewitness Barry Wright, of Whitehall Road, Woodford Green, said: “When we arrived the fire was raging out of one of the windows, and acrid smoke had filled the flat.

“The first two occupants just jumped from the window. I heard the crack as their face hit the pavement, they were seriously hurt.”

Mr Wright said bystanders used a dust sheet to break the fall of a third escapee, saving her from injury.

Watch manager Mark Mills said: “The fire was already fully developed when we arrived at the scene.

“Our crews worked incredibly hard to prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring flats. Had it not been for their efforts, this fire would undoubtedly have caused much greater damage.”

A spokeswoman from the London Ambulance Service said they were called just before 10.15pm.

She added: “We treated a woman with multiple injuries and a man who were both taken to the Royal London Hospital [Whitechapel] accompanied by a doctor from the air ambulance.

“A 52-year-old man with hand and back injuries was taken as a priority to Queen’s Hospital, Romford.”

Did you see the fire? Or do you have images of the blaze? Contact newsdesk on 020 8477 3821.