A major fire broke out early Tuesday morning at an electrical substation in central London, filling the sky with thick black smoke and forcing the evacuation of dozens of residents.
The blaze ignited near Warwick Avenue station in Maida Vale, just before rush hour, with flames visible from across the area.
Firefighters were called to Aberdeen Place at 5:29 a.m. after more than 170 emergency calls alerted authorities to the incident. Around 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines rushed to the scene. Alongside the substation, part of a nearby residential block caught fire, prompting the evacuation of approximately 80 people from their homes.
Witnesses described seeing large flames and hearing what sounded like an explosion. Videos shared online captured huge plumes of dark smoke rising from the site as fire crews worked to control the flames. A helicopter hovered overhead to monitor the situation, while police cordoned off the area to keep the public safe.
Residents in surrounding neighborhoods were advised to keep doors and windows closed due to heavy smoke. Westminster City Council echoed the London Fire Brigade’s warning, asking people to avoid the area while emergency services remained on site.
Station Commander Paul Morgan, who is leading the firefighting operation, described the fire as highly visible and urged the public to stay away for safety. Crews from several stations, including Paddington and Euston, joined efforts to put out the fire and assess damage to both the substation and nearby flats.
Despite the scale of the incident, UK Power Networks confirmed that electricity supplies in the area have not been disrupted. A spokesperson said the company was called to assist at the St John’s Wood substation early in the morning but that the fire had not affected power delivery.
The exact cause of the fire is still unknown, and firefighters are expected to remain on site throughout the day as they work to fully extinguish the blaze and begin investigations.
This fire follows a similar incident last month near Heathrow Airport, where a substation fire led to a major power outage affecting more than 60,000 homes and disrupting airport operations for over 15 hours.
While today’s incident has not caused the same level of disruption, it has renewed concerns over the safety and maintenance of key electrical infrastructure in the city. Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation and ensure the safety of residents and nearby properties.