The Mall Walthamstow fire: 150 firefighters tackle huge blaze at east London shopping centre

Katy Clifton22 July 2019

A major incident was declared today while more than 100 firefighters battled a huge blaze at an east London shopping centre.

Pictures show flames rising up from The Mall, in Walthamstow, at around 7.40am on Monday morning.

Around 150 firefighters and 25 fire engines were at the scene in Selborne Road, a spokesman for London Fire Brigade (LFB) said.

One woman was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service. Her condition is not yet known.

The fire was brought under control by 12.18pm but firefighters remain at the scene.

Firefighters are tackling a blaze in Walthamstow
@MartinBelam

The shopping centre has 66 stores across one floor, with restaurants on a small upper area.

Waltham Forest Council said: "There is a serious fire currently being tackled in central Walthamstow, roads are closed in the area."

Smoke rising from The Mall in Walthamstow
@MikkoE17

MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy said there was a “serious fire” at The Mall and urged people to keep back from the area, while police in Waltham Forest described the blaze as a "major incident".

One entrance at Walthamstow Central station was closed while the fire was ongoing, TfL said.

Walthamstow bus station was evacuated and roads were affected, causing "heavy delays".

The cause of the fire, which affected The Mall's roof, is now under investigation.

A spokesman for The Mall said: "Due to an earlier incident, the centre is currently closed to the public.

"We will post more updates as we have them."

A witness told Mirror Online that the whole roof was on fire.

He said: "It's absolutely terrible to see. All the roof of the Mall is on fire, it's going to get bigger and bigger."

Another witness Alex de Lange said there was "massive amounts of black smoke billowing from The Mall".

"There's a helicopter and lots of fire engines and sounds like some explosions too. The bus station has been evacuated," he added.

Smoke billowing from The Mall
PA

Freddie Joyce said that there were "massive high flames spreading at high speed", adding: "Firemen are struggling to keep it under control it looks like."

Elly Gresham-Scott said that as she passed the scene at around 8.25am the "air was hazy" with "quite large" ash particles floating in the air.

Smoke rising from The Mall in Walthamstow
@DelangeAlex

Station Manager Steve Smith, who is at the scene, advised nearby residents to keep their doors and windows closed.

He said: "There is a lot of smoke so we would advise local residents to keep their doors and windows closed while crews tackle the fire.

"There are local road closures in place so motorists should avoid the area where possible."

A serious fire is ongoing in Walthamstow
@eltorgie

A spokesman for LFB added: "25 fire engines and around 150 firefighters have been called to a fire at The Mall shopping centre on Selborne Walk in Walthamstow.

"Part of the roof of the two storey building is alight. The Brigade was called at 7.40am.

"Fire crews from Walthamstow, Leyton, Tottenham, Leytonstone, Homerton and surrounding fire stations are at the scene.

"The cause of the fire is not known at this stage."

London Ambulance Service said: "We dispatched an incident response officer, a medic in a response car and two ambulance crews to the scene. We also dispatched our hazardous area response team (HART)

"We have currently taken one person - a woman - to hospital. We remain on scene."

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