Major fire near Wembley Stadium disrupts London tube and rail services
A large fire at a waste facility in Neasden, close to Wembley Stadium, has caused significant disruption to London Underground and rail services. Firefighters remain at the scene while the cause of the blaze is still unknown.
A significant fire has broken out at a mixed-waste processing facility on an industrial estate in Neasden, north-west London, less than a mile from Wembley Stadium. Around 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines were dispatched to tackle the blaze.
More than 70 calls were made to emergency services about the fire, and footage shared on social media showed large plumes of smoke rising above the site.
Transport disruption
Transport for London reported that the entire Metropolitan line, which passes near the fire, was suspended. Jubilee line services were halted between Wembley Park and West Hampstead, with severe delays across the rest of that line. Rail services into London Marylebone were also affected.
The London Fire Brigade said transport links would continue to be impacted while crews respond to the incident.
A nearby Amazon warehouse, unconnected to the facility on fire, was evacuated as a precaution.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established. It marks the third major fire at a London recycling centre this summer, following two earlier incidents at the Landmann Way Reuse and Recycling Centre in south-east London.
According to figures from the Environmental Services Association, fires at waste facilities caused by improperly discarded lithium batteries — including those from vapes — occur more than ten times a week. Such battery-related fires are estimated to cost the sector around £1bn annually, a growing source of frustration for fire service chiefs.
