Sunset blaze: smoke billowed over Purley Way Playing Fields yesterday evening from the blaze at a disused building on Imperial Way. Photo: Charlotte Parsonson
Water tower: the Brigade used two 32-metre-tall tower ladders to tackle the blaze
Tall turntable ladders and drones were deployed by emergency crews from the London Fire Brigade yesterday evening to tackle a blaze at a disused building on Imperial Way, as residents were advised to keep their windows and doors closed overnight against the smoke which billowed out across the A23 Purley Way and towards South Croydon.
There were no reports of any injuries from the fire, which was first reported at 4.26pm and was brought under control just before 10pm.
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters from Croydon, Purley, Wallington, Norbury and Mitcham fire stations attended the scene, at a derelict two-storey building.
“Most of the two-storey building was alight,” the London Fire Brigade said of the conditions encountered by firefighters on arrival.
Busy night: firefighters remained at the scene overnight to dampen down the flames
“Two of the Brigade’s 32-metre turntable ladders were used at the scene as water towers to tackle flames from height,” said a spokesperson for the LFB.
“Drones were also deployed to survey the incident from above, providing live images and thermal imagery.
“This provided incident commanders with a vital aerial view, helping them develop effective tactics and assess the area.”
Fire crews remained at the scene overnight, damping down remaining hot spots.
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Is that the old disused Rileys Pool Hall off Riddlesdown. Not been around there for a while, but just remember the mountain of rubbish which was flytipped in that vicinity.
Such dereliction normally attracts this type of activity in the end.