A resident in Clerkenwell, London was woken up to the smell of burning this morning (July 15) as a local shop caught fire.

Footage shows a dense cloud of smoke weaving through the streets of the neighbourhood.

The fire started in a shop on Back Hill, where 12 fire engines were deployed.

The witness told Newsflare: "I was sleeping when I woke up smelling [a] burning smell.

"I thought it was my phone charger then I heard shouting from the neighbours instantly run outside to see the whole of my housing estate fumed with smoke.

"It was so bad you couldn’t see anything and that was the beginning stage of the fire and we were about 600 yards away from the actual fire.

"Literally the whole Faringdon EC1 postcode area was wiped with smoke.

"I then went back in the house put my shoes on then ran towards the fire and took out my camera.

"The police and the neighbour told me it was the bookshop newsagent, which sells local things and the smell of plastic was unbearable. Everyone was coughing."

I was sleeping when I woke up smelling burning smell I thought it was my phone charger then I heard shouting from the neighbours instantly run outside to see the whole of my housing estate fumed with smoke it was so bad you couldn’t see anything and that was the beginning stage of the fire and we was about 600 yards away from the actual fire literally the whole Faringdon EC one postcode area was wiped with smoke. I then went back in the house put my shoes on then ran towards the fire and took out my camera, the police and the neighbour told me it was the bookshop newsagent which sells local things and the smell of plastic was on bearable everyone was coughing