Westfield shopping centre evacuated as huge fire engulfs building and public sent urgent warning

People were evacuated from the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre after a fire broke out in a multi-storey car park in east London.

Online footage showed plumes of black smoke rising from the car park where several vehicles had caught fire on Saturday afternoon. A London Fire Brigade (LFB) spokesperson said the fire had been "producing a significant amount of smoke" and a number of vehicles were alight on an upper level of car park C.

The brigade advised "people to avoid the area at this time" and said the shopping centre had been evacuated "as a precaution". The brigade was first called at 4.05pm and the London Ambulance Service (LAS) also rushed to the scene in Montfichet Road in Stratford.

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Ten fire engines, around 70 firefighters, were sent including crews from Stratford, Poplar, Leytonstone and surrounding fire stations.

Firefighters had a 32-metre turntable ladder to help them tackle the blaze which was brought under control by 5.54pm. An LFB statement read: "We've been called to a vehicle fire in a car park at Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford. Six fire engines and a 32-metre turntable ladder are attending. The fire is producing a significant amount of smoke and we're advising people to avoid the area at this time.

"Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters have been called to a fire at a multi-storey car park at Westfield Shopping Centre on Montfichet Road in Stratford.

"The shopping centre has been evacuated as a precaution. The Brigade received the first of 35 calls at 1605 and Control Officers have mobilised crews from Stratford, Poplar, Leystonstone and surrounding fire stations to the scene.

"A 32-metre turntable ladder is also attending to help assist firefighters with extinguishing the fire."

An LAS spokesman said: "We sent resources including ambulance crews, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team. We treated two people but both were discharged at the scene."

Meanwhile, one shopper wrote on X: "Full evacuation of Westfield Stratford underway due to reports of a fire. Staff seemed very unprepared for this. You’d think there would be a protocol for such a major evacuation involving thousands of people."

Another person wrote: "I was just passing through when the alarm went off, only at one end of Westfield shopping centre, which is odd. People weren’t bothered not moving after hearing the fire safety announcement/alarm and you could see the smoke through the skyline."

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