Over 200 firefighters tackle huge blaze at recycling centre

Forty fire engines were sent to to the blaze at the Hunts Waste Recycling Centre in Chequers Lane in Dagenham, east London, where a plant the size of a football pitch was alight.

But a London Fire Brigade spokesman said the blaze, about eight miles from the Olympic Park, was brought under control and fire crews at the incident would be slowly reduced through the night. He said: “The fire is under control. We are going to be there thought the night, damping down.”

Earlier, London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said the blaze was the biggest in the capital for a number of years.

He said: “We’ve not seen a fire of this size in London for several years.”

London Fire Brigade said a plume of smoke could be seen across the capital at the height of the incident.

A single-storey recycling building, which is around 164ft (50m) by 328ft (100m), was completely ablaze. Firefighters were called at 1.15pm and crews from Dagenham, Barking, East Ham and surrounding stations were sent to the scene.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire was not known last night.