Major Incident Declared Over After Southall Warehouse Blaze
A significant fire that engulfed a warehouse in Southall, potentially containing fireworks, prompted the declaration of a major incident which has now been stood down. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed that around 150 firefighters and 25 fire engines were dispatched to tackle the blaze on Bridge Road.
Firefighting Efforts and Safety Measures
The fire broke out in a two-storey structure housing both warehouse and retail space. Due to the suspected presence of fireworks and cylinders, the LFB declared a major incident at 12.20pm on Tuesday, leading to the immediate withdrawal of all crews to a safe distance as a precaution.
London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith urged the public to stay away, 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."
Impact and Ongoing Operations
The major incident status was officially stood down at 6.02pm, though firefighters are expected to remain on site throughout the evening. At the height of the incident, approximately three-quarters of the structure was alight, and the warehouse roof has collapsed. Around a quarter of the building was still burning on Tuesday evening.
As a safety measure, three schools and a residential block were evacuated. Assistant commissioner Pat Goulbourne noted the fire produced a large smoke plume visible across west London, advising local residents to keep doors and windows closed.
The cause of the fire, which was first reported to the brigade at 8.55am after they received 70 emergency calls, is not yet known.
