Around 100 firefighters are battling a major blaze that broke out above a Poundland store on Penge High Street in southeast London. The fire started at 4.30am in a two-storey terraced building, with flames engulfing a large part of the ground floor where the discount retailer operates.
Fifteen fire engines have been deployed to tackle the blaze, with crews from Beckenham, Forest Hill, Woodside, West Norwood and surrounding stations responding to the emergency. Neighbouring properties have been evacuated as a precaution, while residents in the area are being advised to keep doors and windows closed due to smoke.
Major transport disruption
Penge High Street has been completely closed due to the scale of the emergency response. According to Express reports, specific road closures are in place between Croydon Road and Parish Lane, with traffic being diverted via Maple Road.
Bus routes 194 and 356 are facing major disruptions, affecting commuters across the area during the morning rush hour. Drivers are being advised to avoid the entire area while firefighting operations continue.
Advanced firefighting response
Fire crews are using a 32-metre turntable ladder as a water tower to help extinguish the flames from above. The London Fire Brigade's drone team is providing the incident commander with enhanced situational awareness of the fire's spread and intensity.
The Standard reports that flames were seen towering over nearby buildings, with dramatic footage showing a tall plume of dark smoke billowing into the sky as sunrise approached. The fire remained active as of 7am, with ongoing firefighting operations.
Investigation ongoing
The cause of the fire is not known at this stage, according to London Fire Brigade officials. Video recorded nearby captured the scale of the blaze, showing the significant smoke plume visible across the southeast London area.
The incident represents one of the larger emergency responses in the area, with the deployment of 100 firefighters indicating the serious nature of the blaze affecting the busy commercial high street.
Sources used: "Metro", "Express", "The Standard" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
