A major fire has broken out at a recycling facility in south-east London, sending a huge column of thick black smoke across the capital’s skyline. Emergency services were responding to the blaze on Tuesday evening, August 18, after flames took hold at a site reportedly in the Surrey Quays/Southwark area.

Dramatic footage shared from across London showed an enormous plume of black smoke rising high above buildings and visible from miles away. Other footage from closer to the scene appeared to show intense orange flames tearing through part of the industrial site, with a substantial amount of smoke being produced.

Emergency response underway

The incident was reported shortly after 8pm, with witnesses describing a significant emergency service response in the area. The precise scale of the fire and the number of firefighters deployed have not yet been confirmed by the London Fire Brigade.

There has also been no confirmed information at this stage about whether anybody has been injured or evacuated. Residents across parts of south-east London reported being able to see the smoke from some distance away as it spread across the evening sky.

The blaze is understood to involve a recycling plant, although further details about exactly what materials are burning have yet to be officially confirmed. People in the vicinity should avoid the immediate area to allow emergency vehicles access.

Anyone affected by smoke should keep windows and doors closed as a precaution. The incident comes after around 100 firefighters tackled a major industrial fire on Landmann Way in Bermondsey in June, which also sent a huge plume of smoke across London.

UKNIP has approached the London Fire Brigade for further details about tonight’s incident, including the number of appliances deployed, whether there are any casualties and the cause of the fire. This is a developing incident and will be updated as further information becomes available.