Residents living on the same road as the electrical substation which caught fire in Hayes on Thursday (March 20) have described the incident as ‘terrifying’ and ‘like a bomb went off’. The fire saw around 150 local residents evacuated, some to an ASDA, before being moved on to a Premier Inn.
Locals began returning home at around 1pm on Friday (March 21), many still in their pyjamas. Some residents told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that they have received very little support on the incident.
Deepak and Nikita live in one of the houses directly opposite the substation. The couple were returning home with their one-year-old after spending the night in the nearby hotel when they compared the fire to something you would expect to see in a horror film.
Nikita said: “There was a blast, a really loud blast. We looked outside to see what was going on, it looked like something you see in a scary movie, it was terrifying.
“It looked like a bomb had exploded, the flames were so big. We had to go to the hotel, but we had to walk all the way up the street. I have a little baby, the smoke was so thick. I was scared of us breathing that air, and we had to walk through it.”
Deepak added: “The baby was crying, it was so scary. We thought the fire would spread, and that our house would catch fire too.”
Pashe Tali, a grandmother living on Nestles Avenue, was returning home after she heard the electricity was restored. She told the LDRS that her grandchildren were crying because of the blast.
She said: “It was very, very scary. It was like pew and bang then there was the huge fire. It was scary for my grandchildren, they were crying. The smoke was bad, you can still smell it in the house. For me, it was a struggle at times breathing, it still is now. It’s very strong.”
Johnathan Smith, the Deputy Commissioner for the London Fire Brigade told journalists that the air quality is safe. He said there were scientific advisors working alongside firefighters who have reassured them that the air is safe for residents to return.
Peter Adedayo lives in flats overlooking the scene of the fire. He said he was concerned the fire would spread. He said: “I heard a loud bang, so I went outside to look, thinking my flatmate was messing with the lights. I saw the smoke, I was so shocked at how huge and thick it was… the environment around was flooded with the smoke and fumes.
“I’ve only moved here two weeks ago, and then this happens. I really don’t know what to think. We haven’t heard a thing from anyone about what is going to happen next.”
Ryan Adair and Victoria Wallace also live in flats overlooking the blast site. They told the LDRS that they haven’t had any advice on what to do, nor did they last night.
Victoria said: “Nothing has been said to residents, no advice at all. There was no electric, so when people went outside to look, they couldn’t get back in because the fob system wasn’t working… eventually when they could get in touch with someone, they ran down to let them in.
Ryan added: “I didn’t know the station could be such a fire risk… I couldn’t believe it. I was supposed to go to Dublin today, but that’s been cancelled with the Heathrow issues. To be honest, I haven’t been able to sleep much at all.”
‘Budget cuts may have affected council response’
John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington, said some residents had spoke of having ‘little to no support’ from Hillingdon Council. He said he has encouraged the council to knock on doors and check on vulnerable residents.
He told the LDRS: “I’m always concerned about whether or not they’ve got sufficient staff. In the past when we’ve had emergencies like this, there’s been sufficient staff and it’s worked pretty well.
“At the moment, from what I hear, there has been some problems, particularly in the first few hours. I don’t want to be overly critical because we will have an analysis of that, but it might well be because they are stretched with budget cuts as usual.”
‘Emergency protocols were immediately activated’
Councillor Ian Edwards, Leader of Hillingdon Council, said: “Upon notification of the fire, the protocols of the London Resilience Partnership were immediately activated, with extensive coordination between all organisations involved, including the London Fire Brigade, Metropolitan Police, power companies, the council, Highways Agency and rail networks among others. The emergency services led the response with the council and others supporting.
“To claim that we have been slow in responding is both wholly inaccurate and unfair to those officers who’ve worked through the night and morning to protect the wellbeing of residents. It’s also really disappointing to see a crisis used for political point-scoring.
“As soon as we were notified, 13 minutes after fire was fire was first reported, our own emergency protocols were activated and emergency response teams worked tirelessly throughout the night with partner agencies to ensure residents have been kept safe, supported and informed. The first council officers were on scene within half an hour and many continue to work now. As well as having a strong presence on the ground in the immediate community, we’ve been keeping residents fully informed via our website, social media platforms and community outreach channels and helping residents calling into our contact centre.
“For residents whose homes were evacuated, 12 asked for council support and were given temporary hotel accommodation, though most other residents made their own arrangements. We are also on standby to set up a rest centre at the Civic Centre in Uxbridge, should it be required. Teams have also been performing welfare checks on vulnerable residents or those with specific care needs, and nearby Botwell Green Library is available for anyone seeking support and needing to access a computer, charge a phone or just get a hot drink.
“We continue to work closely with the London Fire Brigade, Heathrow and all other agencies to ensure we can offer the best possible support to those affected. Up to date information on support being offered by the council can be found at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/hayes-fire.”
Philip is a Local Democracy Reporter covering Ealing, Hillingdon and Hounslow, with a focus on council decisions, housing, planning, licensing and community stories across west London.
