Fire at Neasden waste facility prompts major emergency response

A large fire has broken out at a waste facility close to Wembley Stadium in north-west London, disrupting Tube and train lines in the area. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said 125 firefighters were tackling the blaze at an industrial estate on Hannah Close in Neasden, with smoke plumes visible from miles away.

The LFB was alerted just after 11:30 BST and deployed 20 fire engines to the scene. More than 70 calls were made about the blaze, and residents have been warned to keep their windows and doors shut because of the huge amount of smoke.

LFB Assistant Commissioner Andy Pennick, speaking from the scene, said firefighters were met by a well-developed fire involving a waste transfer facility and immediately requested 20 fire engines. He described it as a "protracted incident" that would see crews on scene for the remainder of the day.

The facility is a mixed-waste transfer station on an industrial estate in Neasden, just under a mile from Wembley Stadium. It is run by London Energy, a company owned by the North London Waste Authority, which is responsible for disposing waste for several boroughs. A London Energy spokesperson confirmed that all employees are safe and there have been no injuries.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

Transport disruption

Transport for London (TfL) said there was no service on the entire Metropolitan line, which runs close to the blaze, and no service between Willesden Green and Wembley Park on the Jubilee line, with severe delays on the rest of the line. A TfL spokesperson said: "We're continuing to liaise with LFB to make sure we understand what we can operate safely for both our customers and staff."

Rail services to and from London Marylebone were also delayed or cancelled due to train lines to Aylesbury being blocked, according to National Rail.

Nearby Amazon facility evacuated

A nearby Amazon delivery facility, which is not directly related to the industrial unit involved, has been evacuated as a precaution, according to PA Media. The facility was not directly impacted by the fire.

Context: recycling centre fires this summer

This is the third major fire at a recycling centre in London this summer, after two incidents at the Landmann Way Reuse and Recycling Centre in south-east London. According to figures from the Environmental Services Association, fires at recycling centres caused by wrongly discarded lithium batteries, such as those found in vapes, are occurring at a rate of more than 10 a week. Battery fires at waste facilities are estimated to cost £1bn a year.