Major Blaze in Southall Declared Major Incident
A significant fire that engulfed a warehouse in Southall, potentially containing fireworks, led the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to declare a major incident. The blaze, which required a massive emergency response, has now been stood down after firefighters battled the flames for over ten hours.
Scale of the Emergency Response
Approximately 150 firefighters and 25 fire engines were dispatched to tackle the fire on Bridge Road. The incident involved a two-storey structure housing both a warehouse and retail space. The LFB confirmed that the major incident was officially declared at 12.20pm due to the suspected storage of fireworks and cylinders within the building, prompting all crews to withdraw to a safe distance as a precaution.
The fire was so intense that at its peak, around three-quarters of the structure was alight. Although the major incident was stood down at 6.02pm, firefighters are expected to remain on the scene throughout the evening, with about a quarter of the building still smouldering and the warehouse roof having collapsed.
Public Safety and Evacuations
In response to the danger, three local schools and a residential block were evacuated as a safety measure. London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith urged the public to stay clear, stating, “We’ve got a 200-metre perimeter around the scene... It’s going to be a very, very busy scene of operations for the foreseeable future, certainly overnight.”
Assistant commissioner Pat Goulbourne also warned residents about the large plume of smoke visible across west London, advising everyone to keep their doors and windows closed. The cause of the fire, which was first reported to the brigade at 8.55am after they received 70 calls, is currently unknown.
Crews from Southall, Heston, Ealing, and surrounding fire stations attended the incident, with three turntable ladders deployed to combat the flames from height.
