Morning:
3°c
Precious is a new-style weepie but one that is much more bracing than depressing
BBC accused of having a 'culture of secrecy' after it refused to reveal how much it pays its top presenters and stars
More...
Toxic fume fears as massive fire at Olympic site shrouds London in smoke
Last updated at 20:37pm on 12.11.07Cutting an ugly swathe across a perfectly blue and cloudless sky, a thick pall of black smoke wends its way over the City of London.
The plume, the product of a warehouse blaze next to the 2012 Olympics site, could be seen up to 20 miles away.
Nearby homes shook when the building in Stratford, East London, went up in a massive fireball yesterday. The flames are said to have reached 100ft in the air.
Scroll down for more ...
Black skyline: The smoke billows over the Thames
Terror: Thick black smoke billows from the site
Depot: Smoke spews from the disused bus depot
The smoke rose a further 1,000ft, casting an ominous shadow over landmarks including St Paul's Cathedral and the Swiss Re 'Gherkin' tower. At its peak, 80 firemen were battling the blaze.
One witness said the surrounding area looked like it had been hit by an "atomic blast".
The scenes were reminiscent of the September 11 attacks on New York, with falling ash clogging neighbouring streets.
Scroll down for more ...
Aerial view: The site is on the edge of the Olympic village
Tower Bridge: One of London's most famous landmarks is shrouded in smoke
St Paul's: The smoke turns the skyline black
There were even fears that terrorists had attacked the Olympics site.
Scroll down for more ...
Plumes: The blaze is in the East End of the city
Central London: The smoke can be seen behind the London Eye and edging towards Big Ben
Fire chiefs believe, however, that the blaze was most likely started by a spark from the torch of a welder helping demolish the warehouse.
Martin Calder, who lives nearby, said: "Suddenly these flames shot into the sky in a fireball.
"It looked like a bomb had gone off and it was followed with thick black smoke that blotted out the sky.
"At first I thought it was a terror attack on the Olympic site. As a Londoner I'm naturally cautious after the 7/7 bombings. It looked like something out of a film."
Black sky: The huge cloud of smoke engulfs the capital
Looking across London: Smoke spreads across the skyline
Rooftops: Another angle looking across the city
Paul Hallam, who was working at a printing firm just 40ft from the blaze, said: "The whole of the building, about the size of a football pitch, went up. We could feel the heat through the glass. It was pretty fierce. We just hurried to get out."
Sufferers of respiratory conditions were urged to stay indoors and a primary school was evacuated amid fears over the dangers from chemicals and asbestos in the smoke.
The Health Protection Agency said the levels of asbestos were too low to cause any problems. No injuries were reported.
Olympics minister Tessa Jowell has promised a full inquiry into the blaze.
Reader views (7)
Is that why the nick name for London is Smokey, or the Smoke.
Sort of reinforces it a bit, by the way keep it up there, we are still getting over Bonfire night!!
- Maggie Snook, Wareham Dorset
Well now there can be redevelopment there - do we still need the Olympics now?
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
I wonder what the tree huggers will have to say about that one! The Carbon Footprint of the London Borough of Newham must have increased exponentially!
- Darren, London
Ansarulhaq I suggest you visit London before making such comments because London has been stained for quite sometime.
- Fly, London
London is the city of my dream. I hope there is nothing disastrous or serious about it and the 'smog' won't be able to stain the colour of an abode where peace and fraternity reside.
- Ansarulhaq.A, Mumbai, India
I saw it from Essex!
- Julie, Essex
Saw it from up here on the 6th floor in Chelsea Harbour, it's was quite spectacular, I've got some great photos.
- Trevor Roll, London
