Drivers were forced to evacuate their vehicles. Pictures: Facebook@Barr Nazir Ahmed (Image: Archant)
Drivers had to be evacuated after fire broke out in the Limehouse Link tunnel when a van caught light.
Police led 50 drivers out of the tunnel to safety before fire crews arrived at 12.30pm .
The evacuations began as smoke started filling the westbound tunnel and the extractor fans were reversed to clear the air.
The white van caught fire three-quarters of the way into the tunnel as it was approaching the Limehouse exit, causing a tailback to the Poplar entrance.
The fire was under control by 1.12pm by crews mobilised from nearby Poplar fire station and from Stratford, Islington, Walthamstow and Dowgate in the City. The cause of the fire was being looked into.
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