Overview
- A large fire broke out beside the railway tracks at Stratford station on Friday evening, prompting the immediate evacuation of the station and the suspension of all lines through the hub.
- London Fire Brigade sent eight engines and about 60 firefighters who worked with British Transport Police and Network Rail to decant passengers and cut power to the overhead electrification for safety.
- Emergency services declared the incident under control by about 10pm but crews stayed on site overnight to damp down hotspots and monitor for flare-ups.
- The blaze damaged some railway telecommunications equipment, and Greater Anglia and other operators warned that cancellations and altered timetables could continue for several days.
- Officials stressed that the fire occurred during a record heatwave that has raised London’s wildfire risk to extreme and urged the public to follow safety guidance to prevent further vegetation blazes.