The Croydon skyline filled with thick smoke after a builder's yard went up in flames.

Your Local Guardian: Tyre Factory Fire Pic

A picture taken from the top of Park House in Park Street Croydon

Twenty firefighters were dispatched to a fire at a Waddon builder's yard this afternoon.

The road around the site was closed and one house evacuated following fears of a potential gas explosion as crews cooled down a butane cylinder and two tonnes of loose waste.

The fire, reported at 1.35pm today, was near the junction of Factory Lane and Martin Crescent.

Your Local Guardian:

Sally Harper, Croydon station manager, said: "The fire was well-developed when we arrived and our crews worked hard to get it quickly under control.

"Thanks to their efforts, the fire was confined to the builder's yard although we evacuated one house nearby just as a precaution."

Your Local Guardian:

Karen Barber, manager at Croydon Hearing in Park House, Park Street, in central Croydon, said: "I just looked out the window.

"There was black billowing smoke. 

"It was filling the skyline.

"I didn't know what it was so I looked at your Twitter feed as you are first with the news."

Your Local Guardian:

Crews from Croydon, Woodside and Norbury attended the fire, which was under control by 2.50pm.