Blaze at Greenwich factory extinguished (From News Shopper)

Blaze at Greenwich factory extinguished

10:55am Monday 28th May 2012 in News By Sarah Trotter

THE blaze at a Greenwich chemical plant is now out and residents have been told they can open their windows again.

People living near Peterboat Close were advised earlier to close windows against billowing smoke from the factory fire.

Around 60 firefighters from 12 crews were called to the plant near the Blackwall tunnel at 3.27am.

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said around half the factory, which measures approximately 80m by 40m, was alight.

The flames were bought under control by 6.48am.

It was not thought the smoke was harmful in any way, however, fire chiefs advised people in the area to keep their doors and windows closed as a precaution.

Assistant Commissioner, Dany Cotton, said: "Our firefighters worked extremely hard to contain the fire, which damaged around half of a big industrial unit."

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

“Iain Cox, Chairman of the Business Sprinkler Alliance said: "The BSA respects that the fire investigation is in its early stages and that it will be sometime before all the facts about this incident emerge.

"However, what we do know at this stage is that, had there been a fully functioning, appropriately designed and well maintained automatic fire sprinkler system installed, then this fire is unlikely to have caused the disruption that it has.”

Send your pictures of the fire to strotter@london.newsquest.co.uk