London Fire Brigade - Major or Notable Incidents - Incidents of Note

Incidents of Note

Notable incidents, some declared "major incidents" and some in which firefighters lost their lives, where the LFB has played a significant role include:

• Dagenham recycling centre fire, 2012 (40 pumps)

Over 200 firefighters attended what was described by the LFB commissioner as the largest fire in London "for several years". The LFB took just over four hours to bring under control the one-storey recycling plant the size of a football pitch which was completely alight, sending a plume of smoke over east London. In addition to 40 fire engines, an aerial ladder platform, command unit, hose layer and three operational support vehicles were mobilised to the scene.

• Camden Market fire, 2008 (20 pumps)

Fire ravaged the stalls at the historic Camden Market on 9 February 2008, forcing the evacuation of 450 people from the area, including 100 from their homes. Twenty fire engines and over 100 firefighters fought to bring the blaze under control within six hours and prevent any loss of life.

• Cutty Sark fire (6 pumps)

Although no lives were endangered and a major incident was not initiated, the fire at the historic tea clipper Cutty Sark on 21 May 2007 became a notable incident for the widespread interest of national media and the unusual circumstances – having been caused by an industrial vacuum cleaner inadvertently left on by renovation workers for 48 hours. Two fire appliances and an aerial appliance arrived at the scene within six minutes of the initial call to emergency services, and the commanding officer immediately requested an additional four appliances; firefighters brought the blaze under control within an hour.

• Oxford Street, 2007 (30 pumps)

From 27 to 28 April 2007 London's busiest shopping area was closed whilst more than 100 firefighters tackled a large fire in a flat above a department store on Oxford Street. The clothing retail chain New Look was later fined a record £400,000 for fire safety breaches.

• Buncefield oil terminal fire

The UK's largest peacetime fire broke out on 11 December 2005 at the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal. Although the major incident was attended by the LFB, its role was assisting and providing additional foam supplies to neighbouring brigade Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, to the north of London, whose "ground" the incident took place in.

• 7 July 2005 bombings (12/12/10 pumps)

Multiple major incidents were declared across London in response to the 7/7 terrorist attacks. A total of 34 pumps and 9 fire rescue units were mobilised to the four bomb sites.

• Poplar shops and flats, 2004 (8 pumps)

A fire in shops and flats in Bethnal Green Road, Poplar, on 20 July 2004 gained coverage in the national media due to the deaths of two LFB firefighters. The first LFB fatalities since 1993 were two of the 50 mobilised to the scene.

• Buckingham Palace fire, 2002 (20 pumps)

Fire broke out on 2 June 2002 in the west terrace of Buckingham Palace. At its peak, 20 fire engines and 100 firefighters were on the scene, and in the course of firefighting operations four people were rescued from the roof. The Royal Family were away at the time.

• Paddington train crash (12 pumps)

Also known as the Ladbroke Grove rail crash, two trains collided a short distance outside of Paddington station on 5 October 1999, killing 31 people.

• Cannon Street train crash

Two people were killed and over 500 injured in the Cannon Street station rail crash on 8 January 1991.

• Marchioness disaster

The Marchioness disaster of August 1989 involved a collision on the River Thames between a pleasure boat, the Marchioness, and a gravel dredger, the Bowbelle, resulting in the sinking of the Marchioness and the deaths of 51 people. Initial confusion over which bridge the ship had sunk next to meant fireboats and fire engines were sent in the wrong direction. It was not until half an hour later that a station officer from Southwark radioed: "Marchioness sunk, believed downstream of Blackfrairs Bridge with unknown number of people in river and Met Police searching river between Blackfriars and Waterloo Bridges."

• Clapham Junction train crash

The Clapham Junction rail crash occurred on 12 December 1988, when a busy commuter train passed a defective signal and ran into the back of a second train, derailing it into the path of an oncoming third train. Thirty-five people died and 69 others suffered serious injury.

• King's Cross fire

The King's Cross fire broke out on 18 November 1987 under a wooden escalator leading from one of the King's Cross Underground station platforms to the surface. The blaze and smoke claimed 31 lives, including that of Soho station officer Colin Townsley while he rescued a woman from a ticket office. Investigation and research of the fire resulted in the discovery of the trench effect.

• New Cross house fire

The New Cross house fire of 18 January 1981 claimed the lives of 13 people, all aged between 14 and 22, attending a birthday party. The exact and true cause has never been established.

• Soho nightclub fire, 1980

In the early hours of 15 August 1980, a man who was earlier ejected from an illegal drinking and gambling club in Soho returned with gasoline and started a fire that killed 37 people and injured 23 others.

• The Granary warehouse, 1978 (35 pumps, 6 turntable ladders)

1 October 1978 saw one of London's largest post-World War II fires at The Granary warehouse on St. Pancras Way. At the first call at 2.58am, three fire engines and a turntable ladder were sent to the scene. The scale of the blaze is evidenced by the rapid development of the LFB's mobilisation: make pumps 4 at 3:05am, make pumps 6 at 3:07am, make pumps 10 at 3:12am, make pumps 15 and turntable ladders 2 at 3:19am, make turntable ladders 4 at 3:39am, make pumps 20 and turntable ladders 6 at 3:51am, make pumps 25 at 4:19am, make hose layers 2 at 4:30am, and make pumps 35 at 5:13am. At 4.50am, the structure suffered a major collapse, killing firefighter Stephen Neil from Barbican station, seriously injuring three others, and destroying two fire engines.

• Moorgate tube crash

The Moorgate tube crash was a disaster on the London Underground on 28 February 1975 when a train failed to stop and crashed into the buffers at the end of a tunnel. The driver and 42 passengers were killed.

• Worsley Hotel fire (30 pumps)

The Worsley Hotel fire of 13 December 1974 was an arson attack that killed seven people, including probationary firefighter Hamish Petit of Paddington station. Four fire engines, a turntable ladder and emergency tender were initially mobilised to the scene, gradually increased to 30 pumps with three turntable ladders, three emergency tenders, and hose layers. A 41-year-old kitchen porter was convicted of the attack and seven counts of manslaughter and was jailed for life.

• 1970s–90s IRA bombing campaign

During the 1970s–90s IRA bombing campaign throughout the last quarter of the 20th century, several major bombings were carried out in London by the Provisional IRA, including at the Palace of Westminster, Tower of London, and Harrods. A list of these and other bombings in London to which the LFB responded can be found here.

• Dudgeons Wharf, 1969

Dudgeons Wharf on the Isle of Dogs contained a site of over 100 tanks of various capacities up to 20,000 gallons used for storing oils and spirits. A fire started when workmen were cutting up old oil tanks. The LFB was called – six pumps, a foam tender and the fireboat Massey Shaw – and while firefighters tackled the fire an oil tank exploded. Five firefighters from Millwall and Poplar stations were killed, the largest single loss of life in the LFB since the Second World War.

• Bishopsgate goods depot, 1964 (40 pumps, 12 turntable ladders)

London's main freight terminal at Bishopsgate was gutted by a spectacular fire on 5 December 1964. Within 37 minutes of the first crews arriving on scene, the scale of the blaze was so intense and widespread that 40 fire engines had been mobilised. In addition, 12 turntable ladders, two hose layers, two emergency tenders, and 235 firefighters battled the fire which killed two customs officials and destroyed hundreds of railway wagons, dozens of motor vehicles and millions of pounds worth of goods. The site remained derelict for the next 30 years until being rebuilt as Shoreditch High Street railway station.

• Smithfield market, 1958 (50 pumps)

Over the course of firefighting operations at London's central meat market in January 1958, a total of 389 fire engines with more than 1,700 firefighters from 58 fire stations worked in shifts to tackle a fire of exceptional proportions.

After the initial call, the LFB mobilised three pumps, a turntable ladder and emergency tender at 2.18am. Upon arrival, a station officer and firefighter from Clerkenwell station headed down into the basement where it was apparent a major fire had broken out. Both became trapped in the basement cellars and suffocated to death. Excessive heat, dense smoke and worsening conditions meant crews had to be rotated as frequently as every 15 minutes, as firefighters suffered from severe heat exhaustion.

24 hours later, with 800 oxygen cylinders used, the fire in the basement suddenly broke up into the first floor of the market, with flames 100 ft in the air, engulfing the entire market. The fire, although brought under control and reduced, was not fully extinguished for two weeks. Valuable lessons were learnt after the Smithfield blaze, including introducing a tally system of firefighters' locations and quantity of breathing apparatus.

On the 50th anniversary of the Smithfield blaze, in 2008, the then Deputy Commissioner of the LFB said: "This was a landmark fire in the history of London and its fire brigade. It is important that we remember this tragic fire and honour the memory of the two London firefighters who lost their lives."

• Covent Garden warehouse fire, 1954

While fighting a fire in a five-storey warehouse adjacent to Covent Garden, a station officer and firefighter, both of Clerkenwell station, were killed. Six more were hospitalised, with three requiring plastic surgery treatment.

• London Blitz

On 7 September 1940, a sub-officer at West Ham fire station witnessed the start of the Blitz by Nazi Germany on London. He reported that three miles of waterfront buildings had become a continuous blaze, and ordered 500 fire engines to be mobilised. The commander thought this an exaggeration and sent someone to investigate the situation, who reported back that 1,000 were required! More than 300 firefighters perished in the widespread and sustained bombing campaign, including two in a direct hit on Soho fire station and six in a direct hit on Wandsworth fire station.

• Colonial Wharf, 1935 (60 pumps)

An eight-storey rubber warehouse in Wapping High Street burned for four days from 27 September 1935, with 60 fire engines in attendance. It was the first major incident for one of the LFB's most famous fireboats, the Massey Shaw, which greatly assisted land crews, who were hampered by inaccessibility, by supplying a vast water jet to allow the land crews to regroup and prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining warehouses.

• Vauxhall, 1918

A fire on 30 January 1918 claimed the lives of seven London firefighters. Staff at Vauxhall fire station were alerted to the incident by a passer-by, and upon arrival found a three-storey private house well alight, with the roof and upper floor partially collapsed. The fire was extinguished within two hours but firefighters remained in the building dampening down. It was then, while the men were on the ground floor, that the building suffered a total structural collapse. Six firefighters died on scene, one later from severe injury, and two suffered lesser injuries.

• Houses of Parliament, 1834 (12 pumps)

Records show the 1834 Burning of Parliament was attended by 64 men in 12 fire engines.