Major fire at Bermondsey recycling centre halts London Bridge rail services
A recycling-centre fire in Bermondsey shut down London Bridge rail services as 100 firefighters battled smoke and flames. Southeastern and Thameslink trains were hit until 10.30pm.
Rail passengers in and out of London Bridge faced an evening shutdown after a major fire at a Bermondsey recycling centre sent smoke across south London and halted services on a key commuter corridor. Southeastern and Thameslink trains to or through London Bridge were cancelled, diverted or shortened, and National Rail told passengers to find an alternative route and avoid London Charing Cross.
The London Fire Brigade declared a major incident after multiple emergency calls came in at about 5.30pm on Monday, 8 June 2026. About 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines were sent to the scene, along with two 32m turntable ladders and an aerial ladder platform being used to fight the blaze from above.
Dark smoke billowed over nearby buildings, prompting warnings for residents to keep windows and doors closed. The scene in Bermondsey showed how a fire at a single industrial site can move quickly from a local emergency into a wider transport problem, disrupting one of the capital’s busiest rail gateways.
National Rail said the disruption was expected to continue until 10.30pm on 8 June 2026. For commuters, the impact was immediate: services through London Bridge were thrown off schedule, and passengers heading into central London were forced to look for other routes while fire crews worked to contain the blaze.
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