A railway arch on Silwood Street in Bermondsey has been left damaged after a major fire broke out last night, prompting one of the biggest emergency responses seen in south-east London in recent months.
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were sent to the scene at about 8pm on Wednesday, 7 October, after flames took hold inside a brick arch being used for metal recycling.
Tony Perks, a station commander with the London Fire Brigade, said crews “worked hard to bring the fire under control as quickly as possible” and managed to stop it spreading to neighbouring arches.
People were urged to avoid the area while emergency services remained at the scene through the evening. The fire was under control by 9.13pm, and no injuries were reported.
A familiar sight under the viaducts
Silwood Street runs beneath the Victorian railway viaducts that carry trains in and out of London Bridge, and its arches are home to a string of small businesses, from workshops and studios to waste and recycling firms. Bermondsey and neighbouring Rotherhithe have among the highest concentrations of railway arches in the capital, most of them owned by Network Rail and let out to commercial tenants.
Metal-recycling yards are a common sight beneath the arches of south-east London, where rents are far cheaper than on the high street. But waste sites are also among the premises firefighters know best: combustible material is stored in bulk, machinery runs for long hours, and a single spark can turn into a serious blaze within minutes.
Fires beneath railway viaducts carry an extra risk. The structure above carries some of the busiest commuter lines in the country, and intense heat can damage brickwork and steelwork, forcing engineers to inspect the line before trains can run normally again.
Lithium battery thought to be the cause
The brigade confirmed a gas cylinder was caught up in the fire and had to be cooled to an ambient temperature before crews could leave the scene. The cause is believed to be accidental and linked to a lithium-ion battery.
Firefighters have repeatedly warned that batteries thrown into ordinary rubbish or recycling bins can be punctured or crushed in collection lorries and burst into flames. Instead, residents are urged to take batteries and small electricals to retailer drop-off points, or check their council’s website for local recycling options.
Battery fires at waste and recycling sites have become a growing problem across the capital, with crews attending blazes at scrapyards and sorting plants with increasing frequency.
The brigade’s concerns are borne out by a sharp rise in battery-linked blazes nationally. Lithium-ion cells can go into thermal runaway when damaged, overcharged or exposed to heat, releasing jets of flame and toxic gas. Waste crews are trained to spot swollen or smoking batteries, but devices buried inside bags of general rubbish often slip through unnoticed until it is too late.
What it means for travel
Silwood Street sits a short walk from South Bermondsey station on the London Overground, and directly beneath the lines into London Bridge used by Southeastern and Southern services. No rail disruption has been officially linked to the fire, but passengers are advised to check National Rail and TfL before setting off – particularly with Charing Cross and Waterloo East set to close for 48 hours this weekend.
Drivers heading through the area should also allow extra time after the A2 at Old Kent Road was shut following a crash, with buses diverted.
The fire comes days after the Millwall v West Ham derby at The Den, a short distance from Silwood Street, which saw six arrests as 400 officers were deployed to police the fixture.
The London Fire Brigade said its investigation into the exact circumstances of the fire is continuing.
