Thick smoke seen across the capital after massive fire breaks out in south east London

Luke Alsford | News Reporter Published August 18, 2026 8:58pm Updated August 19, 2026 7:19am To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A massive fire broke out in south east London and filled the sky with black smoke. The blaze erupted at a facility in Deptford, involving around 50 tonnes of household waste stored there. The alarm was first raised at 7.59pm on Tuesday, with fifteen fire engines around 100 firefighters dispatched to the scene. People in the area were told to keep doors and windows closed as thick smoke billowed out of the area. Smoke from the recycling centre has filled the capital The plumes were spotted across London, as far as Bethnal Green and Thamesmead. The fire, near a railway line, disrupted Southe