Huge grassfire breaks out in London as 125 firefighters battle blaze and locals told ‘keep windows and doors closed’

A HUGE fire has broken out across a grassland this afternoon, with 125 firefighters called to tackle the blaze. Emergency services were called to the scene in Mitcham, South London, at around 5.25pm today. A huge grassfire has broken out in Mitcham, South London Credit: Story Picture Agency Plumes of bilowing smoke have been sighted from as far away as Croydon Credit: Alamy Live News. Twenty fire engines have been deployed, with fire crews from Mitcham, Wallington, Norbury and surrounding stations scrambling to the site of the blaze. Shocking photos show the flames engulfing parched grasslands near Mitcham Common and Beddington landfill, with thick plumes of smoke visible from as far as Croydon. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Onlookers have reported seeing “showering ash” from the roadside, with cops cordoning off nearby lanes to allow emergency vehicles through. Garages near to Carshalton Road in Mitcham have been affected by the incident, London Fire Brigade reported. The cause of the fire is not currently known Credit: Story Picture Agency Photos show crowds gathering on roadsides as plumes of black smoke rise up behind them Credit: Story Picture Agency Around twenty fire engines have been called to tackle the blaze Credit: Story Picture Agency 125 firefighters are currently on site trying to contain the flames Credit: Story Picture Agency This includes a workshop and scaffolding yard, with crews using one of the engine’s 32-metre turntable ladder to fight the fire from above. Footage online shows cops racing through nearby streets towards the blaze. The fire brigade’s control room has reportedly received more than 70 calls since the grassfire broke out. A spokesperson for the brigade said: “The fire is producing a significant amount of smoke, so local residents should keep their windows and doors closed.” Most read in The Sun The fire has impacted local rail services, with the line between Mitcham and Sutton closed Credit: Story Picture Agency Garages near to Carshalton Road in Mitcham have been affected by the incident Credit: LondonFire/ X Fire crew have deployed a 32-metre ladder to tackle the workshop blaze from above Credit: LondonFire/ X Residents have been advised to keep their windows and doors closed due to the thick smoke Credit: CrimeLdn/ X The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Rail services have also been affected, with the line between Mitcham Junction and Sutton temporarily closed due to a nearby property which has caught fire. Power to the tracks has been isolated while emergency services try to contain the blaze. The public has been advised to review routes, with trains across Great Northern, Thameslink and Southern networks at risk of cancellation or delay. Southern services between London Victoria and Dorking and Horsham, via Sutton, will be diverted via West Croydon, increasing the journey time by 20 minutes. Thameslink services will make additional stops at Coulsdon Sotuh, Merstham and Three Bridges to cover cancelled services at the these stations. Trains running late across Great Northern, Thameslink and Southern routes may be revised at short notice, including last minute changes to scheduled stops. Disruption is expected to continue until at least 10pm tonight. It comes after a smaller grassfire broke out in Mitcham on Monday, with around 25 firefighters called to the scene. The alarm was first raised at 8.15pm, as crews from Mitcham, Norbury, Wallington and Croydon were mobilised to put out the blaze. Around half a hectare of land was reportedly damaged by the fire, which was extinguised by 9.39pm that evening. Elsewhere in Scotland, a huge blaze erupted near a caravan park yesterday afternoon. Emergency crews scrambled to a seaside village in Elgin, Moray, after the alarm was raised at around 4.30pm. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) initially sent six crews to the scene in Hopeman after receiving reports of blazing grass and hedgerow. A wildfire unit and specialist resources were also sent to help extinguish the massive inferno close to West Beach Caravan Park on West Beach. More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us on TikTok @TheSun.