More than 100 firefighters respond to east London fire

Around 100 firefighters were dispatched to an incident affecting a house, gardens, sheds and a railway embankment in Walthamstow, east London, the London Fire Brigade reported. The brigade said two remainder centres had been set up locally for residents impacted by the blaze. It noted that it received the first of more than 100 calls regarding the incident near Vallentin Road and Shernhall Street just before 18:30 BST, with 20 fire engines and approximately 125 firefighters on scene. In an update issued around 21:00, the LFB stated that the cause of the fire remained unknown but added that crews were working hard to extinguish the blaze as quickly as possible. The fire service advised people in the area to keep windows and doors closed because of the significant amount of smoke produced. Motorists were urged to avoid the vicinity, including Wood Street, Shernhall Street and surrounding roads, as road closures were in effect. The Weaver Overground line has been partially closed as a result of the incident. Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy said in an Instagram post on Sunday evening that "hundreds" of people had been affected by the fire. She thanked locals for donations of nutrient and h2o brought to the remainder centres, adding that "it would marque you outcry to spot what our community's done".