Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at a waste collection site on Weir Road in Wimbledon on Saturday evening.
A large pile of domestic waste has been alight in a single-storey building.
The fire is under control but this is a protracted incident and the fire is requiring a significant amount of time to fully extinguish remaining hot spots.
Residents are advised to continue to keep their windows and doors closed due to the amount of smoke the fire is producing.
Station Commander Justin Randtoul, who has been at the scene, said: “We have had firefighters at the scene for over 72 hours working to extinguish this complex fire.
“Our firefighters remain at the scene turning over waste and dampening down. In order to fully extinguish multiple deep-seated pockets of fire, around 6,000 cubic metres of waste has needed to be removed from the building and taken to a separate site.
“Working closely with the site operators, around 260 cubic metres of waste remains. Local residents should begin to see a significant reduction in the amount of smoke being produced as our operations continue. We will provide further updates on the progress when we can.
“However, while this work is ongoing, smoke continues to be produced from the site. We request that residents living in the surrounding area, which includes in the boroughs of Wandsworth and Merton, and particularly around the Garratt Lane area, continue to keep their windows and doors shut where possible.
“Our scientific advisor has been monitoring air quality in the area and we have been liaising with our multi-agency partners including Wandsworth Council, Merton Council and the Environment Agency.
“We know the fire has had a significant impact on local communities. Firefighters have been out in the local area speaking to residents and providing support and advice. They will also be available to carry out home fire safety visits.”
The Brigade’s 999 Control centre has received more than 120 calls alerting them to the fire since it broke out.
The Brigade was called at 10.26pm (on Saturday, 7 September) and the fire was under control by 7.34am (Sunday, 8 September). Firefighters from across south London have been in attendance.
