Shock Videos Show Multiple Fires Raging Across London as the U.K. Breaks All-Time Heat Record
Stunning images out of London Tuesday showed multiple fires raging across London as the United Kingdom hit a new record high temperature.
The UK soared past its highest-ever recorded temperature, which before Tuesday had been 38.7 C (101.7 F) set in 2019. The UK Met Office weather agency announced a new record of 40.3 C (104.5 F) at Coningsby in eastern England Tuesday.
The often temperate country is not prepared to deal with such intense heat and as a result has issued its first-ever “red” warning from London in the south to Manchester and Leeds in the north, which is an advisory that even healthy people should take precautions as they are at risk from the extreme heat.
Sky News showed videos of fires raging on the outskirts of East London, having destroyed multiple buildings and approaching highways.
“London Fire Brigade has sent 15 fire engines and around 100 firefighters to Wennington to tackle the blazes,” the agency reported.
Several houses have been severely damaged after fires broke out in a village on the outskirts of East London.
London Fire Brigade has sent 15 fire engines and around 100 firefighters to Wennington to tackle the blazes.
Read more: https://t.co/NeG3Xs5ezp pic.twitter.com/qg2R6h0hW7
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 19, 2022
“A major incident has been declared in London after a ‘huge surge’ in fires across the capital on the UK’s hottest-ever day,” Sky News added as authorities asked Londoners not to grill outside and “think carefully about where they discard cigarettes.”
‘Any small spark has the potential to cause a significant fire.’
Jonathan Smith, Assistant Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, asks people not to use portable barbeques in public parks, and to think carefully about where they discard cigarettes.https://t.co/NvxWFA7hul pic.twitter.com/thBcUUATpU
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 19, 2022
NOW – Trees on fire along a highway east of London, UK.pic.twitter.com/SkfzDtBLGS
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 19, 2022
Meanwhile, England’s Channel 4 News declared “London’s burning” and counted at least “10 blazes across the capital.”
London’s burning.
The London Fire Brigade declares a major incident as it battles 10 blazes across the capital. pic.twitter.com/8ZwNo6Kmh7
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) July 19, 2022
London’s Luton airport was forced to shut down some runways on Monday due to the extreme heat as was Royal Airforce Base Brize Norton in Oxfordshire because the “runway has melted.”
The heat “warped a main road in eastern England, leaving it looking like a ‘skatepark,’” the Associated Press reported, quoting local police.
“Major train stations were shut or near-empty Tuesday, as trains were canceled or ran at low speeds out of concern rails could buckle,” the AP added.
Other parts of Europe are suffering from the extreme heat as well. Spain and Portugal have reported some 1,100 heat-related deaths and a video of a passenger train stopped in the countryside with flames on both sides went viral online. While passengers were left “frightened” by the incident, ABC News reported no injuries on the train, which was able to continue on its journey.
Frightened train passengers found themselves surrounded on both sides by raging wildfires in Spain. They were able to continue their journey and no-one was injured. https://t.co/cmXzilzUNl pic.twitter.com/QeXyLeTe3z
— ABC News (@ABC) July 19, 2022
