The travel disruption followed the outbreak of a fire in a utilities tunnel in Holborn, London
Firefighters from London Fire Brigade (LFB) were called out to the incident underneath Theobalds Road on the morning of Wednesday 26 November. Initial fire crews discovered a fire involving high-voltage electrical cables below the street, with thick smoke issuing up onto ground level.
Describing the incident as “challenging and hazardous”, LFB station commander Paul Morgan said that additional crews were called in to attend from Soho, Euston, Shoreditch, Islington, and surrounding fire stations, taking the total to ten fire appliances and around 70 firefighters. He explained that it “was a prolonged operation given the complexity of tackling a fire within an underground electrical tunnel. Once the power was isolated, firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the tunnel to better tackle the fire.
“Working closely with partner agencies, firefighters safely brought the fire under control. There were no reports of any injuries.”
A number of roads were closed as a result of the incident, and some premises lost power. A UK Power Networks spokesperson said: “UK Power Networks was notified of a utility tunnel fire in the Southampton Row area of Holborn earlier today. The fire interrupted supplies to 298 customers.
“The majority had power restored by 11.37am, with the exception of ten properties in Southampton Row.
Engineers from UK Power Networks worked with the emergency services to isolate the power to allow firefighting activities to continue.
Station Commander Morgan went on to say that the “incident caused significant disruption in central London, with multiple road closures and a safety cordon put in place. Several bus routes were diverted, and the public were advised to avoid the area where possible.”
Speaking after the successful conclusion of the incident, Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said: “I want to express my sincere thanks to all firefighters, officers, staff and our partners who have worked tirelessly in challenging conditions to protect the public and keep the city moving.
“We will continue to work closely with our partners and remain fully prepared to respond to any further incidents to keep London safe.”
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
(photo credit: London Fire Brigade)