The Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade have launched a joint investigation
A devastating fire that gutted two houses and an industrial site in Mitcham is being treated as suspicious. Huge flames broke out near Carshalton Road shortly before 4.30pm yesterday (August 26), prompting over 100 calls to 999 from concerned onlookers.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) crews from across Merton, Sutton and Croydon scrambled to the scene as the blaze took hold of a workshop and scaffolding yard. Nine units, 30 scrap vehicles, a skip, and eight hectares of shrubland and grass on Mitcham Common have also been destroyed.
Around 125 firefighters across twenty fire engines tackled the ferocious flames for four hours before bringing it under control at 8.30pm. Four residents fled their homes before help arrived and no one is believed to have been injured.
LFB and the Metropolitan Police have now launched a joint investigation to identify the fire’s cause, with a cordon set up across a large area. Authorities have warned Carshalton Road, Goat Road and London Road will be closed for up to four days whilst enquiries are carried out.
No arrests have been in connection at this stage and witnesses are urged to come forward as soon as possible. The fire is one of countless incidents that have engulfed dry grassland across the capital this summer.
LFB dispatched a terrain support vehicle to the scene, which can pump out 475 litres of water and allows crews to tackle grass fires more quickly and safely, the Brigade said. A 32-metre turntable ladder and the drone team also assisted in the emergency response.
The blaze sent significant plumes of smoke into the sky above Mitcham, with social media flooded with pictures and videos taken from miles away. People living nearby were told to keep windows and doors closed as a result.
Anybody with information is urged to call 101, quoting reference 5039/26AUG. Alternatively, an anonymous report can be filed via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
This was the second fire in the area this week. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters tackled a grass fire near Carshalton Road in Mitcham on Monday (24th) too. Around half of a hectare of a field was damaged by the fire. There were no reports of any injuries.
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