Fire investigators have begun examining the wreckage of a private nursery in south London after a major blaze tore through the building on Saturday evening, leaving half its roof destroyed.
The Rushey Green Nursery in Catford became the focus of a major emergency operation on January 31 when flames took hold of the historic childcare facility. The London Fire Brigade has now launched an investigation to determine what sparked the fire that required nearly three hours to extinguish.
The extent of the damage to the private childcare centre remains significant, with half of the nursery’s roof completely destroyed by the flames. Photographs taken during and after the incident reveal the scale of destruction to the building’s upper structure, though the full assessment of damage to the interior and ground floor facilities has not yet been disclosed.
The emergency began unfolding shortly after 6:30pm on Saturday when the fire service received the initial alert. The response was immediate and substantial, with the London Fire Brigade deploying eight fire engines to the Lewisham location. Approximately 60 firefighters were mobilised to tackle the blaze as it spread across the nursery’s roofline.
Residents in the surrounding area faced disruption throughout the evening as thick plumes of smoke billowed into the sky above the neighbourhood. Authorities issued warnings advising locals to remain inside their properties as crews worked to contain the fire.
The incident also caused significant transport disruption in the area. The A21, a major route through south London, was completely closed in both directions as emergency services established a cordon around the nursery. Motorists were redirected away from the vicinity, with the road closure extending late into Saturday night.
Firefighters successfully brought the blaze under control by 9:25pm, though crews remained at the scene afterwards to ensure no remaining hotspots could reignite. The operation, which lasted close to three hours from initial callout to containment, concluded without any reported injuries to staff, emergency personnel, or members of the public.
The nursery, which operates as a private childcare provider, was not occupied at the time the fire broke out on Saturday evening. Fire investigators are now conducting a thorough examination of the site to establish the cause of the blaze and compile a formal report on the incident.
