Singer Duffy flees as blaze rips through £12m Kensington penthouse, but makes sure pets are safe

The pop star Duffy fled a fire that destroyed a luxury penthouse flat in London last night.

The 'Smoke Without Fire' Welsh singer rounded up her two cats and a dog as she escaped from the 10-storey block near High Street Kensington, said www.standard.co.uk.

More than 60 firefighters tackled the fire in St Mary Abbot's Terrace for more than six hours at the 6,000 sq ft loft apartment, with its own pool and cinema. It is estimated that the flat was worth £12 million.

About 20 other residents spent the night at a centre nearby. Duffy, a Grammy-winning 28-year-old whose full name is Aimée Ann Duffy, left before 10pm.

Nic Myatt, of London Fire and Rescue, said an investigation was continuing into the cause of the fire.

Neighbour Maria McLeod. 47, told the Evening Standard that she gave the singer coffee after she fled the blaze but didn’t realise who she was at the time. She said: “I gave her a cup of coffee and she said her cleaner was there and needed some too. She was lovely, just in shock."

Rassa Borghei, 58. who lives on the fifth floor, said: “I went to the kitchen window and I saw a lot of smoke. I told my sister and my son, let’s leave.

“I saw Duffy running outside. She was running about all over the place. When the police arrived they calmed her.”

It was announced in February last year that was taking a break from recording, but is believed to have returned to the studio.

Duffy was in a relationship with Welsh rugby player Mike Phillips until May last year and has been in a contract dispute with a former manager.