Londoners were left terrified after dozens of red flares fell from the sky, sparking fires and causing damage across the capital. The incident, which occurred around 10:30 PM on Sunday, saw houseboats in a Wapping shipyard catch fire as residents slept. The flares, attached to parachutes, descended on the area, with some landing on boats and a football pitch.
Eyewitness Accounts of Chaos
Apoorv Srivastava, who witnessed the event from his window in Wapping, described the scene as resembling a warzone. 'It was completely crazy,' he said. 'Some boats caught fire on the north side of Hermitage moorings. It was clear that these were not fireworks but flares, as they are designed not to extinguish even in water.' He added that the flares were fired at an angle towards Wapping, rather than straight up, making them even more dangerous.
Heroic Actions Prevent Disaster
Hermitage Moorings, a community of houseboats, was heavily impacted. A spokesman praised neighbour Thomas Zatorski, who extinguished three fires on the boats. 'Otherwise, there could have been risks to lives,' he said. The next day, burn marks were visible on cars and at John Orwell football pitch.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed they received calls about the flares but found no fires upon arrival. An LFB spokesperson urged the public to use pyrotechnics responsibly, away from buildings and flammable materials.
No arrests have been made, and the origin of the flares remains unclear. The incident has left residents shaken, with many calling for stricter regulations on fireworks and flares.
