Overview
- Fire at a scrap‑metal recycling yard on Manor Road in Erith was brought under control late Saturday morning after crews were first called before 5am.
- Roughly 400 tonnes of scrap metal burned, sending a smoke plume across south‑east London toward Dartford.
- Twelve fire engines and about 80 firefighters responded, including a 32‑metre turntable ladder used as a water tower to attack the blaze from height.
- A London Fire Brigade fire boat pumped water from the Thames to keep high‑volume hoses supplied during the operation.
- Firefighters will stay at the site for hours to extinguish hot spots, and officials said the cause of the blaze is under investigation.