Trains resume services after major disruption from fire near London Paddington
Rail services are returning to normal following severe disruption caused by a trackside grass fire near London Paddington that affected routes to Heathrow.
Transport networks have begun returning to normal operations following severe disruption caused by a trackside grass fire near London Paddington. Rail operators confirmed that the blaze, which severely impacted connections to Heathrow Airport, has been extinguished, allowing services to resume.
The emergency began shortly after 16:00 BST on Saturday, according to BBC reporting, while Yahoo News noted the call came in just after 4.10pm. The London Fire Brigade dispatched six fire engines and about 40 crew members to tackle the flames near Scrubs Lane in North Kensington. Large plumes of smoke billowed across the area, capturing the attention of commuters and onlookers who shared images on social media showing crowds stranded at the major rail hub.
Media additions
The fire triggered an electricity supply failure that blocked all lines between Paddington, Heathrow, and Reading. According to Yahoo News, 380 passengers trapped on an Elizabeth line train required evacuation by the fire service and Transport for London. Great Western Railway (GWR) suspended services to Reading, while the Heathrow Express halted all trains in both directions for the remainder of the evening. Transport for London reported that the Elizabeth line was suspended between Paddington and Heathrow terminals four and five, as well as between Paddington and Reading. Additional severe delays affected the entire Elizabeth line and Piccadilly line due to an earlier trespasser at Hammersmith.
Passengers attempting to reach the airport faced extensive hurdles. Heathrow advised travellers to allow extra time, noting that the Piccadilly line also suffered delays. Travellers affected on Saturday were told that tickets would be valid for travel on Sunday at no extra cost, offering some relief for delayed commuters.
| Operator / Service | Impacted Route | Status / Disruption Details |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow Express | Paddington to Heathrow | Suspended in both directions on Saturday evening; normal services resumed Sunday morning. |
| Great Western Railway | Paddington to Reading | Services cancelled, delayed, or terminated at Reading; tickets valid for Sunday travel. |
| Elizabeth Line | Paddington to Heathrow / Reading | Part-suspended between Paddington, Heathrow terminals four and five, and Reading with severe system-wide delays. |
| Heathrow Airport (Airfield) | Southern Runway | Closed temporarily while crews tackled a separate airfield grass fire, causing at least two flight diversions. |
Compounding the regional transport difficulties, Heathrow Airport experienced a separate airfield grass fire that forced the temporary closure of its southern runway and led to at least two flight diversions, as reported by the BBC. This follows an earlier grass fire weeks prior near the southern runway which forced 18 flights to divert and destroyed a large area of grassland.
The weekend disruptions occurred against a backdrop of unusual weather patterns. Lbc noted that temperatures could reach as high as 28C in parts of the UK on Sunday as summer-like warmth makes a brief return for the autumn. The hottest locations will be in south-east England, where they could reach 27 or 28C, while England and Wales more widely will see temperatures in the mid-20s Celsius. The temperatures will be brought in by a southerly wind, which will draw in a shot of hot and humid air from the near continent, pushing UK temperatures up. It comes as parts of central and southern Europe have been experiencing a spell of intense heat, with some locations exceeding 45C. On Thursday, Spain saw its hottest day of 2026, with Huelva in the south-west reaching a staggering 45.7C.
Despite the shot of heat, the warmth will be short-lived, with the high pressure moving away to the east and an area of low pressure driving more weather fronts across the UK. By Monday, it will be windy in north-west Scotland with coastal gales possible, and showery outbreaks of rain will push west to east.
While weather has cooled across much of the UK in recent days following record-breaking heat over the summer, fire crews have still been warning of wildfire risks. The Met Office Fire Severity Index indicated an "exceptional" fire severity level鈥攖he highest on the index鈥攊n parts of London including Heathrow, alongside high ratings across south-east England, the Midlands, and the coasts of Essex and Suffolk.
Looking ahead, Network Rail Western warned that while normal services resumed on Sunday morning following the extinguishment of the fire, travellers should remain vigilant for residual delays and cancellations caused by trains being displaced from their scheduled positions during Saturday's major disruption.
