London was rocked by loud explosions and huge plumes of black smoke rising into the sky near the O2 Arena, leaving people fearful and confused. Scenes filmed by witnesses showed flames and huge clouds of smoke rising from the area. However, it soon emerged that these terrifying events turned out to be part of a pre-planned film shoot.
Witnesses of the incident shared their experiences on social media, not understanding what was happening. Many of them did not know that what was happening was just part of the filming process and were therefore seriously alarmed. One local resident, Lauren Gregory, said she was relieved when it turned out that the explosions and smoke were just elements of the film.
“It was quite scary because the explosions were very loud and smoke appeared instantly, followed by more explosions and no one knew what was happening.” – he said in an interview with MailOnline.
The London Fire Brigade responded to the call and sent four fire engines and 25 firefighters to tackle a suspected blaze in an open yard on Dock Road in Silvertown. However, they could not immediately confirm that the fire was part of filming. Only later did a police spokesperson confirm that the incident was a pre-planned filming event in the Canning Town area and posed no threat to the public.