Stratford Fire
Trackside Fire Forces Stratford Station Closure, Disrupting Major London Transport Links
Anonymous
Key Points
1
The London Fire Brigade received the first emergency call at 6:54 pm, with crews deployed from Plaistow, Poplar, Ilford, Bethnal Green and surrounding stations.
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By about 9 pm, DLR and Jubilee line services were partially suspended, with major delays on other lines as a result of the Stratford fire.
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DLR service between Bow Church and Stratford was halted, contributing to the disruption affecting the area.
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Train services through Stratford were being cancelled or revised, with severe delays until lines could reopen.
A trackside fire forced the closure of Stratford station in east London on Tuesday evening, sparking widespread travel chaos across the city. Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters rushed to the scene after the London Fire Brigade received its first emergency call at 6:54 pm, according to The Independent.
The blaze tore through grass and shrubbery hemmed in on all sides by railway tracks. Authorities isolated power to the tracks and began evacuating passengers, including those stranded on trains near the station, Yahoo News reported.
Sixty Firefighters Battle Flames Beside the Tracks
Crews were deployed from Plaistow, Poplar, Ilford, Bethnal Green and surrounding stations. Station Commander Scott Thorpe said teams were working to "resolve the incident quickly and safely," including moving passengers off trains stuck close to Stratford. Firefighters tackled pockets of fire in the sidings while coordinating with transport partners, according to The Independent.
Social media videos showed flames leaping close to the railway line, Yahoo News reported. The fire occupied a stretch of shrubbery completely surrounded by tracks, making access difficult for crews and adding to the complexity of the response.
Jubilee Line, DLR and Elizabeth Line All Hit Hard
By around 9 pm, the disruption had spread across multiple lines. The Jubilee line was suspended between West Ham and Stratford. DLR service between Bow Church and Stratford was halted entirely. The Elizabeth, Mildmay and Jubilee lines all faced severe delays, AOL reported.
National Rail and Transport for London advised passengers to expect cancellations and revised services through Stratford. Train services were either cancelled or significantly altered until the lines could safely reopen, according to Yahoo News Australia.
Fire Strikes During Extreme Wildfire Risk Warning
The blaze came as authorities had already warned of extreme wildfire risk across parts of the UK. Dry conditions and warm temperatures have raised the danger of grass and shrubland fires in urban and suburban areas. The Stratford fire fit that pattern exactly, igniting in dry vegetation right beside a busy transport hub, The Independent noted.
The timing made the incident especially disruptive. Stratford is one of east London's busiest interchanges, connecting the Jubilee line, DLR, Elizabeth line, Overground and National Rail services. Closing it during the evening rush sent ripple effects across the entire network, AOL reported.
Situation Ongoing as Crews Work to Reopen Lines
As of Tuesday evening, the situation remained active. Firefighters continued to extinguish remaining pockets of fire in the sidings. Track power stayed off while crews worked, meaning trains could not pass through Stratford until the all-clear was given, according to Yahoo News.
Passengers were urged to check for updates before travelling. TfL and National Rail both warned of ongoing delays and changes to services. No injuries were reported publicly as of the latest updates, but the full scale of disruption remained unclear as the response continued, AOL reported.
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