Travel chaos is anticipated on underground and train networks after a major fire at a recycling plant in Deptford, southeast London, led to the closure of rail lines into London Bridge station on Tuesday evening. The blaze, which erupted shortly before 8 p.m., sent flames and thick plumes of dark smoke billowing above the recycling facility.
More than 100 firefighters were dispatched to the scene to combat the fire. The proximity of the blaze to a busy railway line prompted National Rail to shut down all lines between London Bridge, New Cross, and New Cross Gate stations as a safety precaution. This closure significantly disrupted services, with rail operator Southeastern advising travelers to avoid London Bridge and diverting all its services to other London terminals.
Thameslink overground services also experienced disruption, with passengers traveling between Blackfriars and East Croydon facing delays exceeding 30 minutes. In one incident, passengers on a Thameslink train between London Bridge and New Cross reportedly conducted an "uncontrolled evacuation." Network Rail had warned that the disruption would continue until at least 10:30 p.m., leading to fears of widespread delays for commuters on Wednesday morning.
Witnesses described trains passing perilously close to the inferno, which involved approximately 50 tonnes of waste. One passenger reported that smoke filled her train carriage as it moved slowly past the fire, and she could feel intense heat emanating from the blaze. She also noted seeing a burning timber sleeper on the tracks and expressed concerns about the safety of running trains so close to the incident.
Fire crews from multiple stations, including East Greenwich, Old Kent Road, and Deptford, responded to the fire. London Fire Brigade commander Duncan Rees stated that approximately 100 firefighters and 15 fire appliances were in attendance, working in challenging conditions. Water towers, utilizing turntable ladders, were employed to fight the flames from above. The London Fire Brigade indicated that the incident was likely to be a protracted one, with crews remaining on site throughout the night.
This incident marks the second major fire at the Landmann Way recycling site in recent months. A previous fire on June 8 also necessitated the closure of lines into London Bridge, involving a similar response of around 15 engines and over 100 firefighters.