Firefighters rushed to a large blaze at a derelict church hall on Addison Avenue, Southgate, this evening. The London Fire Brigade deployed eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters to tackle the fire, which had fully engulfed the building by the time crews arrived.
Fire crews from Southgate, Barnet, Tottenham, Edmonton, Finchley, and nearby stations combined efforts to contain the blaze. The Brigade’s control team received nearly 50 calls starting at 6.40pm. One of the brigade’s 32-metre turntable ladders was used as a water tower to fight the flames from above.
Station Commander Will Thompson, present at the scene, warned residents in the surrounding area about the heavy smoke. He advised locals to keep their windows and doors closed to minimise smoke intrusion.
The London Fire Brigade confirmed that the cause of the fire remains under investigation. No injuries have been reported so far.
The fire has caused significant disruption locally, with concerns over smoke affecting homes near the former church hall site in Southgate.
Originally published by UKNIP.