Vehicle engulfed in flames on Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise

A vehicle caught fire in the middle of Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise on Friday 2 October, sending thick black smoke high above the high street and bringing traffic to a halt.

Footage shared with UB1UB2 shows the vehicle completely engulfed in flames near the Lexi Cinema at about 12.35pm. A large plume of dark smoke can be seen rising above the three-storey shop and flat buildings that line the road.

Cars and a van were stopped in the road as the fire burned, and people gathered on the pavements to watch from a distance.

Cause not yet known

The cause of the fire has not been confirmed. It is also not yet known whether anyone was hurt, or how long the road was affected.

The London Fire Brigade has not published details of the incident. Anyone who saw what happened can contact the police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.

People travelling in the area were advised to avoid the stretch of road near the fire and to give emergency services room to work.

A busy high street

Chamberlayne Road is the main road through Kensal Rise in the London Borough of Brent. It links the area with Kensal Green and Harrow Road to the south and Willesden to the north. It carries several bus routes and is lined with independent shops, cafes and restaurants, with flats above many of them.

The Lexi Cinema, an independent cinema on the road, is a well-known local landmark. Kensal Rise Overground station is a short walk away.

Brent Council has spent recent years improving the Kensal Rise stretch of the road as part of its Kensal Corridor high street scheme. The first phase, covering Station Terrace and part of Chamberlayne Road between Kensal Rise station and Kempe Road, was finished in September 2022.

What to do if you see a vehicle fire

The London Fire Brigade advises anyone who sees a vehicle on fire to move well away from it, keep others back and call 999 straight away. Do not try to put out the fire or go back to the vehicle for belongings. Burning vehicles can give off toxic smoke, and parts such as tyres and fuel tanks can fail suddenly.