Massive fire in London affects public transport and waste facilities

A vast fire broke out in a waste treatment plant near Wembley Stadium, in the British capital, resulting in the shutdown of several metro and train lines in the region. The incident occurred last Friday afternoon, in an industrial park.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) mobilized around 125 firefighters to control the blaze in Hannah Close, Neasden. Thick smoke was visible from miles away, reaching into central London.

The alert to the LFB was given shortly after 11:30 am (British time). Twenty vehicles were sent to the scene. The population was advised to keep doors and windows closed due to the intensity of the smoke generated by the fire.

Most of the Metropolitan subway line had service suspended because of the fire. The Jubilee line also faced partial closure between Willesden Green and Wembley Park.

The fire caused the complete interruption of the Metropolitan line for several hours in the afternoon. Following a partial reopening, operations remained suspended between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Aldgate, preventing trains from running in the central area.

National Rail reported that train services to and from London Marylebone station were also delayed or cancelled, impacting routes to Aylesbury.

The expectation was that transport disruptions would last throughout Friday night, affecting peak hours.

According to information from the London Fire Department, the industrial unit that caught fire measures approximately 100 meters by 150 meters, totaling around 161,400 square feet.

Mobilization of the London Fire Department in the event

In a statement from the scene, LFB Assistant Commissioner Andy Pennick reported that crews faced a large-scale fire at a waste transfer facility. Immediately, 20 fire trucks were requested.

“This is a prolonged incident that will require crews to remain on scene for the remainder of the day as they work to fully extinguish the fire,” he said. “I would like to thank our firefighters for their hard work so far on this fire, and our control officers for managing a significant number of calls and coordinating our response.”

Transport for London (TfL) suspended the Metropolitan line and part of the Jubilee line due to the proximity of the flames.

A TfL spokesperson said: “We continue to engage with the LFB to ensure we understand what we can operate safely for both our customers and our staff.”

Waste installation and impact on communities

The London Fire Department detailed that the burning industrial unit is around 100m long by 150m wide.

The facility is managed by London Energy, a company owned by the North London Waste Authority. This authority is responsible for the disposal of all waste generated in the districts of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest, highlighting the importance of the location for waste management in the region.

A London Energy representative said: “We are currently responding to a fire at our Wembley transfer station and are working closely with the emergency services and relevant authorities.” He added: “We can confirm that all London Energy staff are safe and there were no injuries.”

The traffic disruptions were projected to persist until the end of business on Friday night.

The London Fire Brigade received more than 70 calls reporting the fire. The cause of the fire is still unknown and is being investigated. An Amazon distribution center, located in the same industrial zone, was not directly affected, but its employees were evacuated as a preventative measure.