A massive fire on a London railway embankment forced home evacuations and severe rail disruptions on Sunday evening, July 12, 2026, amid an intense heatwave.
Around 125 firefighters and 20 engines battled the flames near Vallentin Road in Walthamstow.
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The London Fire Brigade brought the blaze under control by 10:35 p. m.
after it spread to gardens and outbuildings of approximately 30 properties.
Firefighters cooled 10 hazardous gas cylinders to prevent explosions. No injuries were reported by officials.
The emergency surge prompted authorities to trigger Operation Willow Beck to handle the high volume of 999 calls.
Local officials urged residents to avoid the area due to heavy smoke plumes.
"I understand you’re seeing the smoke.
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It’s obviously incredibly scary, but please help the police and the fire brigade by staying away from the Wood Street area," said Stella Creasy, the local MP.
The fire caused partial closures on the Weaver Overground line between Hackney Downs and Chingford, with disruptions expected to persist through Monday.
Officials are still investigating the origin of the blaze. "Unknown at this time," said the London Fire Brigade.
The incident occurred amidst heightened wildfire risks across England and Wales following multiple record-breaking heatwaves and an extended dry spell.
Health officials issued amber and yellow heat health alerts across several regions.
"Based on the current forecast, we don’t currently expect the health impacts to be as high as the heatwave we saw at the end of June," said Dr Agostinho Sousa of the UKHSA.
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The Met Office forecast temperatures reaching up to 33 degrees Celsius in certain areas, following previous June records of 37.7 degrees Celsius.
