WAREHOUSES at an industrial estate are to be demolished after one of the biggest fires to hit Walthamstow in living memory.

Many of the units off Billet Road were completely destroyed in the Good Friday inferno (Friday April 22) which broke out at 4.20pm that day but was only fully extinguished yesterday (Monday April 25).

More than 100 fire-fighters from across east London battled throughout the Bank Holiday weekend to dampen down the site.

A spokesman said the fire was brought under control within a few hours, but many deep seated pockets of heat required extensive attention from crews before the area was declared fully safe.

The extent of the devastation is still being assessed but businesses have been told that several of the one storey units at the site will have to be demolished.

At least 50 vehicles were also damaged.

Hundreds of residents in the surrounding area were ordered to shut their windows and remain indoors in the hours following the blaze, while the Billet Road also had to be closed because of the heavy smoke.

It has been reported that the plume was visible from as far away as Greenwich in south London.

No-one was injured.

The London Fire Brigade is investigating the cause, but it is thought to have started at a unit storing old car tyres.

Student Helton Rodrigues, 19, lives opposite the scene in Billet Road.

He said: “After the fire got going the street was just covered in smoke and it was difficult to breathe. It was so thick it was hard to see the buildings.

“The flames were huge and you could hear explosions which we think were from cars.”

Shi Henglong, manager of the Henglong Club and gym on the estate, said: “I looked out of the window and there was suddenly all this smoke.

“It was very big so we got out as fast as possible. But the fire-fighters came very quickly – it could have been a lot worse.”

Stan Kumar, owner of garage Cars R Us on the estate, said: “I took a break and went to the shop over the road and while I was there it all went up.

“I was very concerned and worried at the time but I'm pleased my business survived.”

The Guardian is awaiting a comment from police over whether or not the blaze is being treated as suspicious.

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