Fire tears through newbuild flats sending acrid smoke through central London

04 June 2024 , 10:12

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Fire tears through newbuild flats sending acrid smoke through central London

The building involved, near Silvertown Way, is currently under construction.

LFB say there are 10 fire engines and about 70 firefighters on the scene.

The brigade is asking people to avoid the area while they fight the fire.

A spokesperson for the brigade said: ‘Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters are responding to a fire near Silvertown Way in Canning Town.

‘The fire is located in a construction site. One of the Brigade’s 64m ladder has been deployed to the scene.

‘People are advised avoid the area as crews respond.’

Luke Robert Black, who saw the fire, said: ‘There appeared to be two fires emerging from two of the unfinished buildings at Canning Town.

‘The police had cleared Silvertown Way and there was a few fire engines – but didn’t see any ambulances and the police were still letting people through to get to the tube.

‘Thankfully doesn’t look like it has affected the completed buildings towards Morrisons.

‘Area was all really calm and despite it being rush hour I think the police did a good job of keeping everyone moving.’

Andy Lloyd-Williams was taking part in a steps challenge to raise money for Barts Charity when he saw the smoke.

He told Metro.co.uk: ‘At about 9am I was walking around the docks when I heard all the fire engine noises and looked up and there was this thick black billowing smoke cloud coming from the area.

The building on fire is under construction (Picture: @TrisCoach)

‘You can still hear them now, I live quite close to the station, but it looked like they sealed off the road quite quickly, and there were a couple of helicopters circling too.

‘It looked like the main billows of smoke stopped within 15 or 20 minutes so they were on it quite quickly.’

The A1011 Silvertown Way is a busy road through east London and it’s been closed between the A13 Canning Town Flyover and Hallsville Road.

Part of the road has been blocked off by several fire engines, and several passersby were seen stopping to watch or take pictures or videos of the smoke pouring into the sky.

The fire is located in an area of significant construction, with several cranes in place and hoardings at street level.

There are a number of London Underground stations nearby, likely busy thanks to the morning commute, with Canning Town, Custom House and Royal Victoria stations in the vicinity.

Bus routes 147, 330 and 474 all pass by the area and they have been diverted to avoid the fire.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said no injuries have been reported so far.

Thomas Brown