On the morning of November 25, 2025, a massive blaze erupted at a two-storey warehouse and retail space in Southall, west London, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing across the city’s skyline and triggering a swift, large-scale emergency response. The incident, which unfolded at the Middlesex Business Park on Bridge Road, quickly escalated as firefighters discovered the suspected presence of fireworks and gas cylinders stored within the burning building, prompting the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to declare a major incident by midday.
According to the BBC, the first calls reporting the fire were received at 8:55 am, and within minutes, the scale of the emergency became clear. London Fire Brigade control officers swiftly mobilized resources, initially dispatching 70 firefighters before scaling up to a staggering 150 firefighters and 25 fire engines from Southall, Heston, Ealing, and even the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service. As Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne explained, “A major incident has been declared as firefighters tackle the fire on Bridge Street, Southall. This decision has been taken due to the suspected presence of fireworks and cylinders being stored within the structure.”
By midday, the fire had already consumed about three-quarters of the warehouse. The structure’s roof collapsed, and explosions were reported from within the building—likely caused by igniting fireworks and gas cylinders. The risk to emergency crews was palpable. As Goulbourne described, “All firefighters have withdrawn to a safe distance and are now fighting the fire from a greater distance to ensure crew safety.” Three turntable ladders were deployed, allowing crews to battle the inferno from above, but the threat of further explosions meant the operation had to be conducted with the utmost caution.
Safety was the paramount concern, not only for firefighters but also for the surrounding community. The London Fire Brigade established a 200-metre safety perimeter and evacuated three schools and a nearby residential block as a precaution. Over 100 displaced residents were supported by Ealing Council at a local rest centre, according to reports from MyLondon. The London Ambulance Service confirmed that, remarkably, no injuries had been reported despite the scale and ferocity of the blaze.
London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith urged the public to heed safety warnings and steer clear of the area. “To everyone in the area, just keep yourself safe,” he told the PA news agency. “Keep yourselves out of the perimeter. We’ve got a 200-metre perimeter around the scene. We’ll make sure that everyone keeps away. It’s going to be a very, very busy scene of operations for the foreseeable future, certainly overnight. So, we would ask members of the public to keep away, keep a safe distance and allow the fire brigade to do their job.”
For those living nearby, the incident was both alarming and disruptive. Residents were repeatedly advised to keep doors and windows closed as a precaution against the heavy smoke, which was visible for miles across west London. Traffic in the area ground to a halt, with roads closed and buses diverted, further compounding the disruption for locals and businesses. One local business owner told MyLondon that his shop was untouched by the flames, but the closure would cost him over £10,000 in lost trade. Another, whose mobile phone accessories company was housed in the warehouse, said there was “just ashes left” and estimated the loss at “definitely more than £10,000.”
As the day wore on, the scale of the destruction became more apparent. Photographs shared on social media and by news outlets showed the warehouse reduced to a charred shell, its roof caved in and its contents smoldering. The fire, described by the London Fire Brigade as a “protracted incident,” continued to burn well into the evening and overnight. The LFB’s control officers handled more than 70 emergency calls related to the incident, underscoring the anxiety and concern among residents and business owners alike.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also weighed in, expressing his gratitude to the emergency services and confirming that he was “in close contact with London Fire Brigade after a major incident was declared.” He reassured the public that “there are no reported injuries but nearby properties have been evacuated as a precaution. Please avoid the area.” Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne echoed this sentiment in his statement from the scene, thanking not only the firefighters and control officers but also partner agencies such as the London Ambulance Service, Metropolitan Police Service, British Transport Police, and Transport for London for their coordinated response.
For those on the ground, the situation was tense and, at times, frightening. Video footage captured by locals showed explosions erupting from the warehouse, with loud bangs echoing through the area and, as one resident described, “buildings shaking.” The cause of these explosions was believed to be the ignition of fireworks and cylinders stored inside the warehouse, though the precise cause of the initial fire remained under investigation at the time of reporting.
Despite the chaos and destruction, the emergency services’ swift and coordinated response prevented what could have been a far more tragic outcome. The evacuation of schools and residential blocks, the establishment of a wide safety perimeter, and the careful withdrawal of firefighters in the face of explosions all contributed to the fact that no injuries were reported. The LFB’s operational focus remained on containing the fire, preventing its spread to neighboring properties, and minimizing harm to the community.
By just after 6:00 pm, the major incident was officially stood down, though firefighting operations continued into the night. As of Tuesday evening, about a quarter of the warehouse remained alight, and the cause of the blaze was still unknown. The LFB indicated that the investigation would continue, with the hope of determining what sparked such a destructive event.
For Southall and its residents, the warehouse fire of November 25, 2025, will be remembered as a day of disruption and anxiety, but also as a testament to the professionalism and bravery of London’s emergency services. Their efforts, under dangerous and unpredictable conditions, ensured that a potentially catastrophic incident was brought under control without loss of life.
