100 evacuated at Crystal Palace Sports Centre

A fire at a go-kart track in Crystal Palace, London destroyed 200 tyres causing thick black smoke to spread to the adjacent sports centre.

Over 100 people had to be evacuated from the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in Ledrington Road.

Forest Hill fire station manager, Gary Evans said; “Because of the intensity of the fire it damaged electrical supplies and made all the concrete come off the walls, and the rubber black smoke got into the building.”

Although the Metropolitan police say they are currently not treating the incident as suspicious, Mr Evans believes the fire may have been started deliberately. Mr Evans said; “We think they broke into a secure area where people use the go-kart track to store tyres and spares, and set light to the tyres which caused a lot of smoke that got into the swimming pool complex. At that time of the evening they were doing swimming training and badminton, so about 100 people had to be evacuated.”

Structural engineers are now assessing the damage to the buildings.