A Ministry of Supply rubber tyre dump caught fire on the hottest day in 80 years, in June 1947, at Willow Lane, Mitcham. The fire was reported in the national newspaper the Daily Express, the huge plume of which could be seen from their Fleet Street building 7 miles away.

Daily Express – Tuesday 03 June 1947
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Express Staff Reporter

ON the warmest June day for 80 years, and in an evening of tropical heat, firemen tried for five hours to get near the “biggest flare-up in London since the blitz,” and save: a street of homes, six factories, and a vital Government rubber dump. They saved the homes and the factories. But thousands of tons of rubber were destroyed—and the dump, at Mitcham, Surrey, may smoulder for a week. At midnight, night-shift firemen were still pouring water on to it. At tea-time yesterday a smoke-cloud from the fire began to blot out the sun, and spread seven miles into Central London. Early this morning a fog-like pall still hung over the Kingston By-pass, and the smell of burning rubber was in the air all the way to London. Call after call went out for more firemen as flames spread along 13,000 tons of rubber and tyres stacked In the dump. Four hundred and fifty firemen and 45 engines turned up—to the same spot where a practice fire-fight was carried out six months ago. Only a narrow street separated homes in Willow-lane from the dump. They were evacuated, and firemen and civilians started to make a fire-break. Fences were torn down, and volunteers wheeled away tyres. But the flames were still spreading : water showed signs of running out; firemen found it too hot to get close to the burning rubber. So it was decided to evacuate some of the factories round the dump.

BIG SURREY RUBBER FIRE ATTRIBUTED TO HEAT

200 Firemen Fight Worst Blaze Since Blitzes

INTENSE heat in London — the temperature in the afternoon rising to 90 degrees — was thought responsible for the outbreak of one of the worst fires for many months. The great fire broke out in a Government rubber dump near Mitcham Common. Thousands of tons of rubber blazed and 200 firemen were faced with an all-night task. The scene was reminiscent of blazing Nazi oil dumps bombed by the R.A.F. in the war.

More than 30 fire engines were rushed from all parts of South London to cope with the blaze, the fire assuming alarming proportions.

The fire spread rapidly and quickly reached a factory. Heavy smoke clouds drifted across Mitcham Common toward Streatham, and surrounding property was threatened by the blaze.

Thousands tons of scrap rubber blazed while firemen were trying to get a hose working. They were handicapped by the distance the nearest available water supply — the River Wandle — and were trying to prevent the fire from reaching two builders’ yards. The dump is controlled the Board Trade.

“AMAZING SIGHT.”

Gangs of men worked to clear fire ” break” between the dump and surrounding houses. The N.F.S. later said the fire was the biggest this year and for quite some time previously.” One eyewitness said: “It is an amazing sight—like the pictures blazing Nazi oil dumps bombed by the R.A.F.”

There was a “general call out” to fire brigades. Over 200 firemen using “walkie-talkie” apparatus fought the fire and four hoselaying lorries ran hoses from the Wandle.

At the dump were 10,000 tons rubber, including 3,000 tons of tyres worth about £40,000 to £50,000.

SUN BLOTTED OUT

About 120 employees of the adjoining factory of Bryans Aeroquipment, Ltd., formed a bucket chain, and the factory girls provided water, lemonade, and biscuits to firemen exhausted by the heat. One of the firemen, overcome by the heat and fumes, was removed to hospital.

Firemen were at work all night. Some of them said they expected the dump to smoulder for a week.

Smoke from the fire blacked out the sun in Central London, ten miles away. Some onlookers likened a mushroom-like column of smoke stretching from the heart of the fire to pictures of the atom bomb explosions.

Source: Western Morning News – Tuesday 03 June 1947 from the British Newspaper Archive (subscription required)

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