Around 100 firefighters and 15 engines were called to a blaze at Kosher Kingdom supermarket in Golders Green Road, north-west London, on Wednesday morning. The London Fire Brigade received the first of 33 calls at 6.47am, with crews from Finchley, Willesden, West Hampstead and surrounding stations attending.
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that the fire is not being treated as suspicious and is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault. There is no indication that the supermarket was targeted or that the fire was started deliberately.
Shocking video footage showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky as fire alarms rang out and residents watched on. The storage area at the back of the building partially collapsed, but the flats above were not affected. Residents were evacuated as a precaution, and a rest centre was set up nearby. No injuries have been reported.
Firefighters urged the public to stay away from the area due to the large amount of smoke, and locals were advised to keep windows and doors closed. Several road closures remain in place, including on Golders Green Road near the junction with Beverley Gardens, and adjoining roads. Traffic is also disrupted on the A406 North Circular between Brent Cross and Henly's Corner.
London Fire Brigade assistant commissioner Craig Carter said: 'Our specialist Fire Investigators, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Service, have worked at pace to establish that the circumstances of the fire are not believed to be suspicious and investigations on the cause and origin of the fire are ongoing.' He added that a 32-metre turntable ladder was being used as a water tower, and drones had been deployed to provide live thermal images.
