Huge fire at electrical substation in London; 100 firefighters deployed
What's the story
A major blaze has broken out at an electrical substation in north-west London, United Kingdom.
The fire erupted at about 5:29am local time at Victoria Passage, Aberdeen Place, in St. John's Wood, causing heavy smoke to billow over the capital.
Fifteen fire engines and about 100 firefighters were sent to the spot to bring the situation under control.
Evacuation efforts
Nearby residents evacuated as firefighters battle blaze
Those living near the electrical substation have been told to shut their doors and windows because of the heavy smoke.
About 80 people have been evacuated from a nearby block of flats.
Video footage from the scene shows anxious residents waiting outside their homes in pajamas and nightgowns.
Fire crews are attacking the blaze from above with a 32m turntable ladder, per The Standard.
Twitter Post
Over 100 firefighters and 15 engines are battling the blaze
🇬🇧MASSIVE FIRE AS SUBSTATION EXPLODES IN LONDON
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 29, 2025
Over 100 firefighters and 15 engines are battling a huge blaze at an electrical substation in St. John's Wood, one of London’s most exclusive areas.
Smoke is visible for miles as part of a nearby residential building’s roof caught… pic.twitter.com/dil3UvLdhq
Outage situation
Power outage reported in area surrounding electrical substation
UK Power Networks, which maintains electricity networks throughout London, has said they have received reports of a power cut in the vicinity of the electrical substation.
However, it is not yet known how many residents have been affected.
The London Fire Brigade confirmed that they had received over 160 calls alerting them about the blaze.
The Metropolitan Police were also alerted by the London Fire Brigade at 5:42am. They responded to support emergency efforts, which required evacuating several nearby buildings.
Cause
Cause of the fire remains unknown
Firefighters will be able to provide an initial view of the potential cause at an appropriate point, a Met Police spokesperson said, adding that the priority for now is tackling the fire and ensuring the safety of people.
This incident comes a month after Heathrow Airport was shut down due to a fire at a nearby electrical substation.
More than 1,000 flights were cancelled, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers.