A major fire near a key railway line has brought travel chaos to thousands of passengers, forcing the closure of part of the West Coast Main Line.
Train services are blocked between London Euston and Watford Junction after a blaze broke out in Camden, north London, National Rail said.
The London Fire Brigade was alerted at 9.31am to a fire at a single-storey commercial building close to the tracks.
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were sent to the scene on Regent’s Park Road, along with a 32-metre turntable ladder to allow crews to tackle the flames from above.
The incident has caused widespread disruption across multiple operators, including Avanti West Coast, London Northwestern Railway, London Overground and Southern.
Avanti services bound for London are reportedly being held at stations as far away as Warrington in Cheshire.
National Rail said major disruption is expected to continue until at least 3pm while emergency services remain at the scene.
A number of services have been cancelled or severely delayed, with affected passengers advised they can use their tickets on certain alternative routes.
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters rushed to fight the blaze
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LONDON FIRE BRIGADE
Photos from the event showed smoke billowing into the London sky as onlookers stood stunned.
The London Fire Brigade also shared images showing firefighters battling the blaze, spraying water from hoses down onto a burning building.
Another image shared by the service showed the burst husk of a roof.
Currently, the cause of the blaze is not yet known.
The London Fire Brigade was alerted at 9.31am to a fire at a single-storey commercial building close to the tracks
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LONDON FIRE BRIGADE
Avanti West Coast has confirmed that some of its train lines have reopened.
“Residual delays are expected due to congestion on the network,” the company cautioned.
However, National Rail maintains that major disruption is to be expected across Avanti West Coast, London Northwestern Railway, Southern and London Overground services until 3pm.
Some services may be cancelled, severely delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised due to the disruption.
Speaking to GB News, one traveller said: “I was hoping to travel to Birmingham, new street. I’m supposed to be going to a funeral today.
“I don’t think unless I’m going to make it. I was here well before 11 o’clock for my 11:19 train. I’ve got the link to watch it online. I’m hoping to get to the wake,” he explained.
Another said: “I’m going to see my daughter and her husband. So I was going to get the 1144 I mean, it’s not anyone’s fault, is it, but it’s a bit of a jolly old nuisance.
“I was very upset, but now I’m fine. You can get a drink. You can go to the loo. Everyone’s being very helpful. So, it’s not anyone’s bolsters, it’s a nuisance, but it can’t be helped,” she told The People’s Channel.