Around 150 firefighters and 25 fire engines are battling a blaze at a two-storey warehouse and retail space on Bridge Road in Southall, west London. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) warned that fireworks may be stored inside, urging the public to keep a safe distance.
Three-quarters of the building was ablaze at the peak of the incident, with the roof having collapsed. As of Tuesday evening, approximately a quarter of the structure remained on fire. Three schools and a residential block were evacuated as a precaution.
A major incident was declared but stood down at 6.02pm. Firefighters will remain on site throughout the night. The LFB has established a 200-metre perimeter around the scene and advised residents to close doors and windows due to heavy smoke.
London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith urged the public to stay away, stating: “It’s going to be a very, very busy scene of operations for the foreseeable future, certainly overnight.” Crews from Southall, Heston, Ealing and surrounding stations are responding.
Incident commander Pat Goulbourne said firefighters had withdrawn to a safe distance and were fighting the fire from greater range due to the complex nature of the site. First reports of the fire were received at 8.55am, with around 60 calls logged.
