Investigations are under way into the cause of a tower block fire that left six people dead, including a three-week-old baby and two children.

Fire bosses believe it will take "weeks if not months" to establish how the blaze, in south-east London, happened.

About 30 people were rescued from the fire at the 12-storey Lakanal House on the Sceaux Gardens Estate, Camberwell.

More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze, which is thought to have started in a stairwell, at 1620 BST on Friday.

The bodies of a six-year-old child and two adults were found at the scene. The three-week-old baby, a seven-year-old child, and a woman were later pronounced dead in hospital.

Hotspots search

Eyewitnesses described how the tragedy has left people in the area "shocked".

A London Fire Brigade (LFB) spokesman said preliminary investigations have been carried out at the scene by two specialist teams.

"They will be working alongside our firefighting crews," he said.

"There are still hotspots in the structure which could reignite if we don't extinguish them properly."

He confirmed inquiries could "take months" to complete.

We were really scared because we couldn't walk - we were crawling through the smoke Nancy Kanu, resident In Pictures: London tower blaze

Up to 20 people were taken to three local hospitals, 18 of whom were later discharged.

Fifty other people were forced to leave their homes and were taken to an emergency centre, set up by Southwark council in nearby Welton Hall.

Firefighter Paul Glenny, who tackled the blaze, said: "I've been in the job for 30 years, and I've never seen anything like it.

"The hot weather and the fact that people's windows were open made the fire what it was."

Carol Hunter, who lives in a building that backs on to Lakanal House, described hearing a "huge bang and then flames were everywhere".

"It was horrible. We saw lots of children banging on the windows to get out and families screaming," she said.

"There was even bed sheets tied together hanging out of windows with people threatening to jump out. We saw body bags coming out. I felt sick."

Nancy Kanu, who lives on the fifth floor, said she saw smoke coming in through her window and in the stairwell.

Speaking from the emergency centre, in Bushey Road, she said: "We were really scared because we couldn't walk - we were crawling through the smoke.

"My sister was there with her three-day-old baby, who is now suffering breathing problems and I was there with my two kids."

'Tragic situation'

Architect Alastair Bowden, 31, who lives nearby, said he could see several floors had been affected.

"It's quite dramatic to see a tower block on fire," he said. "It has shocked everyone.

"People don't think there's much of a community in Camberwell but there is. I think it will be felt strongly locally."

Harriet Harman MP, whose constituency includes the tower block, said it was "clearly a very tragic situation".

"People remain calm but it's a very distressing situation," she said.

"I have spoken to the fire authorities and they have yet to identify the cause of the fire.

"The main immediate concern is for the people who have died and for the people fighting for their lives in hospital."