Residents were moved from their homes in Streatham Hill last night after four buses set on fire inside a bus garage.

Some 50 firefighters and 10 fire engines were called to the major incident at the Brixton Bus Garage, at the top of Brixton Hill, at 7.10pm.

Two buses inside the Arriva garage were completely destroyed and another two badly damaged after a doubledecker bus that had just been parked burst in to flames.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but a firefighter at the scene told the Streatham Guardian it was believed a bus engine had set on fire.

A London fire Brigade spokeswoman said some 40 residents were evacuated from nearby flats because of heat and smoke coming from the blaze.

Some residents chose to leave six storey Christchurch House on the corner of Christchurch Road as a precaution.

The roof of a single storey building was damaged.

Police asked if the Crown and Sceptre pub nearby could accommodate elderly residents from the flats for the night.

But after the fire was brought under control after several hours, residents were allowed to return to their homes.

The London Fire Brigade said the fire was under control by 10.23pm. Noone was injured.

Younis Usman, from Billa’s Food and Wine, said: "I heard the fire engines and rushed out. There was alot of black smoke coming out, you could tell it was a bad fire. I could see there was fire and flames outside at least two buses inside the garage.

"I thought I heard an explosion. Thank God noone was in there or I think they wouldn’t have survived. The roads were cordoned off. The traffic was jammed everywhere."

Michael Huseyin, 22, bartender at the Crown and Sceptre pub in Streatham Hill, said: "I was on my break and I heard alot of fire engines, I looked over and there were huge bellows of smoke coming out over the flats.

"It looked like it was coming from the flats but it was the bus garage.

"There were so many people in the street, it was quite a scene."

Christchurch Road and Brixton Hill were closed, causing traffic chaos as firefighters tackled the blaze.

Dozens of buses were left at the Telford Avenue bus garage in Streatham Hill which could not return to the Brixton depot.

Were you affected? Do you live in one of the evacuated buildings? Did you take any pictures or video footage? Contact the newsdesk on 0208 330 9538 or email mwatts@london.newsquest.co.uk