In a dramatic display of urban logistics going up in smoke, a large fire erupted at a waste facility near Wembley Stadium in north-west London, throwing tube and rail services into disarray. Because nothing says 'sports day' quite like a towering inferno next to the arena.

Twenty fire engines and approximately 125 firefighters were dispatched to battle the blaze at a mixed-waste facility on an industrial estate in Neasden, a mere mile from the hallowed turf. The fire was so impressive that it managed to knock out the entire Metropolitan line, which conveniently runs close to the action, and suspended Jubilee line service between Wembley Park and West Hampstead, with severe delays elsewhere. Rail services into London Marylebone also got the memo and decided to join the chaos.

As if the fire wasn't enough, a nearby Amazon warehouse - not the one on fire, just adjacent - was evacuated, because even robots deserve a smoke break.

London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Andy Pennick gave a play-by-play: 'The brigade was called at 11.36[am] to reports of a fire on Hannah Close, Neasden. Upon arrival, firefighters were met by a well-developed fire involving a waste transfer facility.' He noted that the initial officer, clearly seeing the potential for a blockbuster, immediately called for 20 fire engines. The industrial unit, a sprawling 100 metres by 150 metres, was fully alight. At its peak, 125 firefighters were on scene, all presumably wishing they'd chosen a quieter profession.

Pennick added, wisely, 'This is a protracted incident that will see crews on scene for the remainder of the day as they work to fully extinguish the fire.' The LFB later confirmed the blaze was under control by about 5pm, though its cause remains a mystery under investigation.

This marks the third major fire at a London recycling centre this summer. Earlier this month, about 100 firefighters tackled a blaze in Deptford involving 50 tonnes of stored household waste. The Environmental Services Association reports that fires caused by wrongly discarded lithium batteries, like those in vapes, are happening more than 10 times a week. These battery-induced fires at waste facilities are estimated to cost £1bn a year, which is a lot of money to burn, literally. Fire chiefs are reportedly frustrated, and who can blame them? Perhaps it's time to start a campaign: 'Don't be a tosser, recycle your batteries properly.'