The London Fire Brigade (LFB) experienced one of its busiest nights this year, receiving 400 emergency calls since midnight on Tuesday, June 23, as thunderstorms swept across the capital. Firefighters responded to numerous flooding incidents and two house fires believed to have been started by lightning strikes.
House fire in Tooting caused by lightning
One of the fires occurred on Wilde Place in Tooting, where the roof of a semi-detached house was damaged, along with a small part of an adjoining property. No injuries were reported. The LFB was called at 4:07 am, mobilizing six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Tooting, Battersea, Wandsworth, Fulham, and Norbury fire stations, along with a 32-metre turntable ladder from Clapham. The fire was brought under control by 5:40 am.
High call volume triggers special procedures
Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said: “It has been a very busy night for our Control Officers, firefighters and officers. Shortly after 4am, due to a large number of calls received by the Brigade, we implemented our High-Volume Call procedure which means flooding calls where there is a risk to life are prioritised and crews then attend other calls as non-emergencies when they can.”
He added: “Operation Willow Beck was also temporarily stood up. Introduced in 2022 nationally by the Home Office and National Chiefs Fire Council, this is a pre-determined 999 call distribution procedure, which during times of extreme demand, can divert surplus emergency calls to unaffected fire and rescue service control rooms.”
Storms and heatwave forecast
Households across London woke to loud thunderclaps between 4 am and 5 am. The storms mark another shift in the city's unusual late-June weather, with a 38°C heatwave expected later in the week. Goulbourne thanked colleagues from other fire services for their assistance and reassured Londoners that crews remain available to respond to emergencies.
