A truck has burst into flames on Chamberlayne Road in north-west London, sending a towering column of thick black smoke billowing into the sky and bringing traffic to a standstill on Friday afternoon.
The blaze took hold on Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Green, where firefighters were pictured tackling the burning vehicle as a fire engine sat parked across the street.
This is a developing story. London Streets will update this article as more information becomes available.
Photographs from the scene show the lorry badly damaged by the flames, with dense black smoke pouring from the wreckage and drifting high above the rooftops. Witnesses described traffic grinding to a halt in both directions as crews worked to bring the fire under control.
It is not yet known what caused the blaze, what the truck was carrying or whether anyone was hurt. The London Fire Brigade has been approached for comment.
Chamberlayne Road is a busy route through the heart of Kensal Green, linking Ladbroke Grove with the Harrow Road area and lined with shops, cafés and terraced homes. Drivers were being urged to avoid the area on Friday afternoon while emergency services dealt with the incident, and it was unclear how long the road would remain affected.
Vehicle fires of this kind often keep roads closed for some time after the flames are out, while crews damp down remaining hotspots and recovery teams remove the wreckage. Fuel and oil spills can also need specialist cleaning before a carriageway is safe to reopen.
The incident came on the same day as a fire on Whitechapel Road which disrupted traffic on the A11 on the other side of the capital.
It also follows a spate of fire-related disruption in the west of the city in recent days, including a garage fire behind Ladbroke Grove which briefly forced the Tube station to close, and a major emergency response to a garage fire in North Kensington.
What to do if you are caught near a vehicle fire
Fires involving lorries and other large vehicles can escalate quickly, and the smoke they produce can be harmful. If you find yourself near one, the advice is straightforward: keep well back and, where possible, move upwind of the smoke so it blows away from you.
Call 999 and give the exact location of the fire, including the road name and any nearby landmarks, so that crews can find it quickly. Never attempt to tackle a vehicle fire yourself — fuel, tyres and cargo can all make it flare up without warning — and do not drive through thick smoke. If the road ahead is obscured, turn around where it is safe to do so or wait until the smoke clears, and always follow the instructions of firefighters or police managing the scene.
If your own vehicle catches fire, pull over somewhere safe, switch off the engine, get everyone out, move a safe distance away from the car and call 999. Do not open the bonnet or go back for belongings.
Getting around the disruption
Drivers heading through Kensal Green should expect delays on Friday afternoon and consider alternative routes while the clear-up continues. The closure is likely to have a knock-on effect on surrounding streets as motorists seek other ways through Kensal Green and Kensal Rise, and bus services using the corridor may be diverted or held back at short notice.
Passengers are advised to check TfL’s live status updates before setting off and to allow extra time for journeys through the area.
The cause of the Chamberlayne Road truck fire remains unknown. This article will be updated as soon as the London Fire Brigade issues further information.
