A flat fire which killed a man is not being treated as suspicious, investigators  have said.

Approximately 20 people were evacuated shortly after 7pm last night, while 14 firefighters tackled the blaze in a three-storey block of flats in Potters Road, New Barnet.

When firefighters entered a flat on the top floor, they found the body of a man in the front room.

Officers are yet to identify the man and next of kin have not been informed.

Nader Moradi, who lives in a neighbouring block of flats, said: “I heard a fire alarm so I went outside to have a look what was going on.

“I saw smoke and flames coming out of the window and people were coming out shouting.”

The fire brought back bad memories for Mr Moradi, whose home caught fire three years ago.

He said: “I lost everything. It was really scary and so it immediately brought it back to me and I started shaking. Fire is a horrible thing.”

The blaze was put out at 7.44pm and no one else was injured during the incident.

Police remain at the scene which has been cordoned off. The blackened, burnt out flat can be seen through open windows on the top floor of the building.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police, although fire investigators have said they are not treating it as suspicious.