More than 100 firefighters responded to a significant fire in Walthamstow, east London, that spread across a house, gardens, sheds, and a railway embankment. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) received over 100 calls about the incident near Vallentin Road and Shernhall Street shortly before 6:30 p.m. BST.
At the peak of the incident, 20 fire engines and approximately 125 firefighters were on the scene. The cause of the fire remained unknown as of around 9 p.m. BST, according to the LFB, which stated that crews were working diligently to extinguish the blaze quickly. The brigade advised local residents to keep windows and doors closed due to the large volume of smoke.
Authorities implemented road closures in the vicinity, including Wood Street and Shernhall Street, and advised motorists to avoid the area. The Weaver Overground line experienced a partial closure as a result of the fire.
Two rest centers were established for residents affected by the blaze. Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy noted on social media that hundreds of people had been impacted. She also expressed gratitude for community support, highlighting donations of food and water to the rest centers, describing the local response as "heartwarming."