A resident has described being woken by explosions and seeing flames rising above railway tracks after a major fire broke out in South Harrow overnight.
Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters were called to tackle the blaze in a range of four railway arches housing vehicle workshops near Roxeth Green Avenue in the early hours of Friday, 4 July.
Firefighters worked through the night to bring the fire under control, and crews are expected to remain on scene throughout the day to dampen down hotspots. The fire caused severe damage to the units but no injuries have been reported.
Station Commander Graham Beers, who was at the scene, said: “Crews were faced with a substantial fire affecting multiple commercial units situated within a railway arches. Whilst most of the fire has now been extinguished, firefighters will remain on scene through today putting out deep-seated pockets of fire, dampening down hotspots and ensuring the scene is safe.
“We asked people in the local area to keep their windows and doors closed during the height of the fire due to smoke travel. Road closures remain in place in Roxeth Green Avenue, near the junction of The Arches, and are expected to remain in place whilst we continue to work at the scene.”
The Piccadilly line has been suspended between South Harrow and Uxbridge stations due to the incident. Firefighters also confirmed that an unknown number of gas cylinders exploded in the early stages of the fire, with two further cylinders removed and cooled safely.
Harrow Online spoke to Mr Vishal Raja, a resident of Fentiman Way, who shared his experience
“At approximately 1:30am, I was woken by a loud commotion outside my property. When I got out of bed to investigate the noise, I noticed a yellow-orange glow illuminating my living room through the windows and balcony doors. I quickly moved to the window and saw a large fire coming from one of the garages located under the railway arches.
“The blaze was intense and frightening, rising above the railway tracks and bridge, and beginning to spread to the next arch, which also houses an occupied garage. The structure of the first garage was collapsing as it burned, creating loud crashing sounds that many residents could hear. Several explosions followed—likely from cylinders or fuel containers inside the garage—which were both alarming and contributed to waking nearby residents. Upon witnessing the fire, I immediately called emergency services.”
Mr Raja said he was later advised to evacuate
“During my 999 call, I was advised to remain indoors unless directed otherwise by a Fire Marshal on the scene. Around 2:00am, as the fire intensified and spread to the adjacent garage and parts of the railway infrastructure, Fire Marshals began evacuating all properties on Fentiman Way. Residents were directed to a safe location between Eastcote Avenue and Maple Avenue.”
Neighbours were “extremely supportive”
“Residents of Fentiman Way remained away from their homes for approximately two and a half hours. Fortunately, neighbours from Roxeth Green Avenue and Eastcote Avenue were extremely supportive, offering chairs, hot drinks, blankets, and warm clothing. Police were present throughout, keeping us informed, offering reassurance, and ensuring everyone’s safety.”
Reflecting on the aftermath, thanking London Fire Brigade
“Residents are understandably tired after a very long and unsettling night. Some have had to take time off work, while others are working from home or trying to rest, though it has been difficult as firefighting efforts continued until around 10:30am this morning.
“We are incredibly grateful to the London Fire Brigade for their swift response, professionalism, and tireless work. My heartfelt thanks go out to the crews from Harrow, Wembley, Stanmore, Ruislip, and surrounding stations for their dedication and bravery.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
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