A hundred people were evacuated from their homes after a large fire ripped through a car workshop, causing the explosion of four gas cylinders.
A team of 70 firefighters tackled the blaze in 30c heat at the workshop under the railway arches in Montague Road, Leytonstone, yesterday evening.
Ten fire engines from Leytonstone, Leyton, Walthamstow, Ilford, East Ham, Tottenham, Stratford and Stoke Newington were called to the scene shortly before 6pm.
Due to the risk of the cylinders, one hundred local residents were told to leave their homes and take refuge in St Margaret's Church in Woodhouse Road.
The huge fire spread to a second car workshop causing damage overall to both units which included a breakers yard and around 15 cars.
Station manager Paul Hobbs, who was at the scene, said: "Crews worked extremely hard in what was incredibly challenging conditions on the hottest day of the year so far.
"This was a large fire and it produced a lot of smoke."
Thick smoke can be seen billowing over the skies of east London
Residents were warned to stay indoors and keep their windows and doors closed as crews tackled the fire for almost three hours.
The fire was under control by 8.35pm but firefighters remained at the scene for several hours damping down hotspots.
Overground trains were halted between South Tottenham and Barking.
London Fire Brigade has said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
The fire seen from an alleyway close to the bridge (Picture: Sadaff Mahmood)
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