A fire erupted at Stratford station in east London on July 10, 2026, at approximately 7pm, leading to the evacuation of the station and severe disruption to rail services. The blaze, which started in shrubbery adjacent to the tracks, required 60 firefighters to bring it under control. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned that disruption is expected to last until Monday, July 13, with reduced services on the Elizabeth, Mildmay, and Jubilee lines.
Firefighters battle blaze amid extreme heat
Station Commander Scott Thorpe, who was at the scene, said: 'This fire is predominantly located within an area of grass and shrubbery that is surrounded on all sides by railway tracks. Crews are also working to extinguish other pockets of fire in around the station’s sidings.' He added that power to the railway tracks had been isolated, and the LFB was working closely with partners to resolve the incident safely. Firefighters remained on scene for several hours to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.
Heatwave raises wildfire risk to 'extreme'
The LFB has raised the wildfire risk assessment from 'elevated' to 'extreme' over the weekend due to sustained dry weather and temperatures reaching 35°C. Assistant Commissioner Tom Goodall urged the public to take precautions: 'We want everyone across the city to enjoy the continuing heatwave but this must be done responsibly. The latest wildfire risk assessment indicates that if grass fires were to break out, the chance of them spreading more rapidly due to the weather conditions is greater.' He emphasized that many of London's parks and open spaces are close to properties and communities, making fire prevention critical.
Passengers evacuated, services disrupted
Passengers were evacuated from trains that had come to a standstill near the flames. National Rail confirmed that a reduced service via Stratford station would be in place until Monday. The incident caused severe delays on multiple lines, affecting thousands of commuters. The LFB continues to monitor the situation as the heatwave persists.
