Two major fires bring parts of London to a standstill

FIREFIGHTERS have been battling two major blazes since yesterday afternoon in London.

The first fire, in central London, brought a large section of the city to a standstill.

Thought to be caused by a fault in an electrical junction box, it sent a huge column of smoke up from the Kingsway, a busy commuter route in Central London at around 12.40pm. More than 2000 people had to be evacuated from surrounding buildings as a precaution.

Ten fire engines were quickly sent to the scene and the fire was brought under control before it spread to nearby buildings. For a time much of the road was closed, along with the Holborn underground station.

There have been no reported injuries or fatalities at this time. People at the scene reported that the smoke was so think they were having problems breathing.

Firefighters are currently combating another fire in North-West London at an industrial estate on the Western Road in Park Royal. Initial reports from London Fire Brigade state that more than 100 fire fighters were sent to this site. The cause of this fire, which started just past midnight, is not yet known.

Commuters were advised to avoid this area as firefighters anticipated the blaze would take many hours to bring under control.