Commuters faced chaos on Friday morning as a large fire erupted near London Euston station, sending smoke billowing across Camden and triggering widespread travel disruption.
Thousands of passengers saw their journeys cancelled, while firefighters raced against time to bring the blaze under control.
Firefighters Battle Blaze on Regent’s Park Road
The fire broke out at 9:31 a.m. on Regent’s Park Road, close to Chalk Farm underground station, in what appeared to be the former site of Primrose Hill railway station.
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were dispatched from Kentish Town, Holloway, West Hampstead, and surrounding stations to tackle the flames.
By shortly after 1 p.m., the London Fire Brigade confirmed the fire was under control, though parts of the single-storey commercial building remained alight.
A 32-metre turntable ladder was deployed to fight the blaze from above, helping crews tackle the fire safely.
Major Travel Disruptions Across London
The fire’s proximity to the rail lines caused significant disruption on the West Coast Main Line.
Services between London Euston and Watford Junction were blocked, with National Rail warning of severe delays until at least 5:15 p.m.
Avanti West Coast, London Northwestern Railway, and London Overground trains were all affected.
Passengers travelling to destinations including Birmingham, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Glasgow Central, and Edinburgh faced cancellations, and some trains were held as far away as Warrington.
Ticket holders for Friday were allowed to travel on Saturday with no extra charges.
Local Impact and Safety Measures
Smoke could be seen drifting across the Regent’s Park Road footbridge, which police closed while firefighters worked.
Adelaide Road was also shut between Winchester Road and Haverstock Hill, as half of the commercial building burned.
Residents described the scene on social media, with one person posting: “The fire has been raging since 9 a.m. The roof has now burnt down. It’s been extremely smoky with limited visibility at times.”
Official Statements and Ongoing Investigation
The London Fire Brigade urged people to avoid the area and advised travellers to check the National Rail website for updates.
A spokesperson said:
“At the height of the fire, a single-storey commercial building and most of a neighbouring property were alight. Part of both buildings remains burning.
There are currently no reports of injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”
Fire control officers received 27 calls about the incident and coordinated the rapid response that helped bring the blaze under control by 1:04 p.m.
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