Fire cordon hits commuter route

Smoke could be seen for miles

A main commuter route was closed after a cordon was put in place around a fire which gutted a scrap yard and caused gas cylinders to explode on Monday.

The southbound carriageway on the northern approach to the Blackwall Tunnel is now open but its closure caused traffic chaos in rush hour.

London Fire Brigade said four fire crews are still at the scene of the blaze which began at about 1700 BST.

Homes near the fire in Lochnagar Street, east London, were evacuated.

Clouds of black smoke could be seen across London while firefighters tackled the six-pump blaze.

The exclusion zone around the fire scene is expected to stay in place until the end of the day.

No-one is thought to have been seriously injured.