Overview
- A fire broke out on Rye Lane in Peckham late on Thursday, prompting more than 30 emergency calls and the evacuation of about 50 people before crews arrived.
- Fifteen fire engines and roughly 100 firefighters, including two 32-metre turntable ladders, tackled the blaze and brought it under control by about 11:50pm.
- The fire destroyed a single-storey extension and heavily damaged the stockroom and roof of Khan's Bargains, with the owner estimating around £200,000 in losses.
- Thick black smoke spread across south London, residents were told to keep windows and doors closed, and road and bus services around Rye Lane were disrupted.
- London Fire Brigade has opened an investigation into the cause, crews are damping down hotspots on site, and local community recovery and insurance processes are now under way.