A “loud explosion” was heard near Heathrow Airport as the fire sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky near landing jets

A loud explosion was heard near Heathrow Airport today as a huge fire broke out in the area.

Thick plumes of smoke billowed through the air as jets landed near the fire in Feltham, west London, just before 5pm.

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The London Fire Brigade dispatched 70 firefighters to the scene, with ten fire engines helping to extinguish the flames.

Author Robert Harris said he saw the horror from a plane as he arrived at Heathrow.

Sharing a video online, he said: “I arrive at Heathrow just before 5pm today to land. The burnt fields. The fire!”

Another person wrote on social media: “Just heard something explode.”

Someone else said, “Me and my dad heard a massive bang, almost like a bomb or explosion.”

London Fire Brigade were called to the blaze at 4.35pm.

They wrote in a statement: “Firefighters are fighting a fire involving trees, hedges, shrubs and decking behind a number of properties on the street.

“Fire crews from Hillingdon, Kingston, Southall, Surbiton, Tooting and the surrounding fire stations are on site.

“The cause of the fire is not known at this time.”

The Metropolitan Police have advised the public to “avoid the area”.

This has been followed by a series of fires in the Feltham area in recent days.

A football pitch in the area was “burned to the bone” after a fire broke out near Heathrow Airport earlier this week, reports My London.

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