Firefighters battle blaze in Maida Vale amid power concerns
About 100 firefighters are engaged in the operation to extinguish a fire at a transformer station in the Maida Vale district of West London, as reported by the newspaper "Independent." According to the fire brigade, the fire has spread to the roof of a neighbouring building. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
The fire brigade received over 170 calls. On the scene, near Warwick Avenue tube station, at least 15 fire brigade units are working. Maida Vale is a wealthy district of the capital.
"This is a very visible fire and producing lots of smoke. Residents are advised to keep their windows and doors shut and avoid the area where possible," said Paul Morgan, a representative of the firefighters involved in the firefighting operation. He urged residents to close windows and doors and to stay clear of the area. About 80 people have been evacuated due to the fire.
Fire at Heathrow Airport
This fire comes just a few weeks after another at a power station in west London, which caused a power outage at Heathrow Airport, leading to serious disruptions for travellers worldwide. It is estimated that the malfunction prevented over 200,000 passengers from travelling.
UK Energy Minister Ed Miliband, speaking on LBC radio, explained that the fire at the electrical substation supplying power to Heathrow—Britain’s largest airport—was catastrophic. He added that the airport’s backup generator was also damaged in the incident.
