Huge fire above south east London shop sends smoke billowing into the sky

Homes have been evacuated after a huge fire above a shop on a London high street.

Around 100 firefighters are at the scene of the fire in a two-storey terraced building on Penge High Street in south east London.

London Fire Brigade were first called at 4.30am and there are 15 fire engines at the scene.

A large part of the ground floor, home to a branch of Poundland, is alight.

Neighbouring properties have been evacuated ‘as a precaution’ and people in the area are being advised to keep their doors and windows closed.

Penge High Street is closed due to the number of fire engines at the scene. Drivers are being advised to avoid the area.

A video recorded nearby shows a tall plume of dark smoke billowing into the sky as sunrise starts to approach.

The fire brigade says the cause of the