‘Loud bangs’ were heard as firefighters were called to put out a fire which destroyed multiple structures in east London.
Four fire engines and 25 firefighters rushed to tackle the blaze which started at a community garden on Graham Road in Hackney at around 10.30pm on Wednesday.
London Fire Brigade (LfB) crews from Homerton, Bethnal Green and Stoke Newington had the fire under control by 11.57pm.
Nearby residents were evacuated while the firefighters scrambled to contain the fire.
Images posted on social media show the blaze illuminating the surrounding buildings as firefighters work to get it under control.
Several allotments and structures were destroyed by the fire, and there was partial damage to a shed on the site.
However, locals said the garden itself survived thanks to the rapid response from LfB.
There are no reports of any injuries at this time.
LfB said the fire is believed to have been accidental - most likely caused by an electrical event in a electricity meter.
Police have began an investigation into the cause of the blaze.
The site of the fire, believed to be the Garden of Earthly Delights, also acts as an educational grassroots project.
On its website, the garden says it “hosts talks, skill shares and workshops”, as well as providing “volunteering and eco therapy opportunities.”
A volunteer at the garden told Metro: “It’s devastating. People have put so much effort in and now this. It’s heartbreaking. The staff go into the community and teach people skills like how to use a drill etc. Who knows how this happened. We will have to fundraiser again.”
A witness to the fire told Metro that “two loud bangs” were heard before the fire went up, and that the blaze could be seen across east London.
“Everyone loves the garden and there was a kind of recycling workshop that there was a crowd funder for,” they added.
“That has gone up in smoke. It’s such a shame. There was wood everywhere in the garden, maybe that contributed.”
The garden has been contacted for comment.
