Londoners have been left terrified after a set inferno raged out of control just yards from London’s O2 Arena – with thick smoke and explosions spreading panic across the local community.
The fire brigade was called in to bring the blaze under control after the ‘pre-planned’ stunt went wrong – as residents complained that it was like a ‘bomb’ or even an ‘earthquake’.
Videos from the scene show flames and huge black clouds swirling above the iconic London venue – with onlookers saying there were five explosions.
London Fire Brigade responded to a fire – involving half of a car and a lorry – after they were called at 7.51pm.
Images from the scene appear to show the vehicles were a burnt out BBC World News lorry and a police van.
Boat engineers working on the River Thames when the explosion happened said it sounded like a ‘massive bomb going off’.
Michael Weston, 56, told Mail Online: ‘It was incredibly loud. I thought it was going to burst my ear drums.
Videos from the scene showed flames and huge black clouds swirling above the London venue
A spokesperson for the Met Police confirmed it was a ‘pre-planned filming event in the Canning Town area’, and there is no risk to the public
‘Apparently a load of gas canisters exploded. I thought I was going to have a heart attack.
‘It sounded like a bomb going off.’
Four fire engines and 25 firefighters rushed to tackle the blaze at an open air yard on Dock Road in Silvertown – and could not confirm whether or not it was a film crew.
They have since confirmed that it is under control – with no reports of any injuries.
The brigade said: ‘The fire in Silvertown followed a controlled explosion at a film set which spread out of control.
‘Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the fire, which is now under control. Crews will remain on scene for the remainder of the evening.’
Onlookers said the lorry which caught on fire in central London near the city’s O2 Arena was ‘100% a BBC World News’ truck which ‘exploded five times’.
An onlooker, 42, said he hoped it was a controlled intentional fire, which was part of filming near East India Dock in London at around 8pm tonight.
The man, who works in set design, said filming often happens in the area for series like Married at First Sight.
‘Loud bangs and explosions’ have been heard near the O2 as videos show huge plumes of smoke pouring into the air
The blaze appeared to have broken out in warehouses on the Isle of Dogs – across the river from the iconic venue
But he said he noticed the BBC truck before it caught fire, because it was less common for the channel to film in the area.
He said he was certain the vehicle which caught fire and exploded was a ‘red mobile editing’ vehicle which said ‘BBC World News’ on the side.
He said: ‘It was a BBC camera truck where they do the editing – the mobile trucks that follow the teams around.
‘They were doing filming here. We saw them. The BBC doesn’t do filming here usually, so I noticed it. I saw ‘BBC World News’ on the side of it and it was red.
‘I’m 100% sure. At first I wasn’t sure if it was an accident or part of something they are filming – I’m still not. It exploded about five times.’
A spokesperson for the Met Police confirmed it was a ‘pre-planned filming event in the Canning Town area’, and there is no risk to the public.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich council said that filming would take place last week on August 24, with a ‘loud explosion’ in the evening.
Ryan O’Sullivan, 44, who lives in a flat opposite, said it sounded like an ‘earthquake’.
A spokesperson for the Met Police confirmed it was a ‘pre-planned filming event in the Canning Town area’, and there is no risk to the public
The Royal Borough of Greenwich council said that filming would take place last week on August 24, with a ‘loud explosion’ in the evening
The business manager said: ‘We could have been warned there was going to be a controlled explosion.
‘I thought it was a bomb. My flat was shaking. It was a huge shock. The smoke went right across the river. It was insane.
‘I just thought the worst.’
Another local said: ‘It was incredibly loud. I couldn’t believe it. How on earth did it get like that? It was mad.’
The blaze appeared to have broken out in warehouses on the Isle of Dogs – across the river from the iconic venue.
But horrified locals – who were unaware of what was going on – took to social media to share their worry.
Lauren Gregory said that it was a ‘relief’ that the huge bangs and smoke were from a film set.
She told : ‘It was quite scary as the explosions were very loud and the smoke appeared quickly with more explosions heard shortly after with no one knowing what was going on.’
Chanel Bennett added that watching the scene was ‘so, so scary’.
She said: ‘Security were running around frantically and one of them told us it was a planned thing but he looked very uneasy and ran off.’
Christopher Golds, added: ‘Some sort of huge explosion in East London on the opposite side of the Thames to the O2. Emergency services already there.’
Another, Sasha Stolp, said: ‘There has just been a series of explosions opposite the O2.’
And Valley Fontaine posted: ‘What were those two loud bangs and black smoke near O2?’
This is a breaking story. More to follow.