A fire at a high-voltage substation in Hayes late last night (20 March) led to evacuations and major travel disruptions. London Fire Brigade deployed 70 firefighters to tackle the blaze, evacuating 29 people and setting up a 200-metre exclusion zone. The fire involved a transformer comprising 25,000 litres of its cooling oil fully alight. This created a major hazard owing to the live high voltage equipment and the nature of an oil fuelled fire.
Local resident, Ann, told Hillingdon Today: “I thought I heard a loud explosion and then all the lights went out. We were without power for some time.”
Around 150 residents were moved to a rest centre, with most returning home, but 12 remain in temporary accommodation.
Residents are being advised to keep windows closed due to lingering smoke as approximately 5% of the fire remains alight in isolated hotspots.
Roads, including the M4, were closed, while the Heathrow Express and Elizabeth Line services were suspended. The Piccadilly Line remained running but did not stop at Terminal 4. Several bus routes and local schools were also affected.
Botwell Green Library was opened to provide support, hot drinks, and charging facilities for affected residents. Council teams carried out welfare checks on vulnerable individuals in the area.
Hillingdon Council have set up a helpline for any who need further assistance. Residents are encouraged to call 01895 250 222 for further advice.
The cause is now under investigation by the London Fire Brigade, Metropolitan Police and anti-terrorism police.
