Road Traffic Collision
At approximately 21:00 hours on 07/02/2025, a catastrophic multiple vehicle's V cyclists occurred in outskirts of London, involving a combination 7 peddle bike, and around 4x cars/ trucks. The incident resulted in significant damage and widespread chaos on the affected roads, requiring an extensive emergency response.
Emergency services were immediately contacted. The NHS, multiple fire crews, and local police patrols swiftly dispatched to the scene to assist the public. Upon arrival, it was confirmed that a large fire had broken out due to the collision, which escalated the urgency of the situation. Firefighters worked quickly to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further. The fire was particularly challenging due to the presence of hazardous materials in some of the vehicles involved. There was believed to be nine individuals who were reported as injured, with varying degrees of severity, including two critically injured passengers who were immediately transported to nearby trauma centres. The others sustained non-life-threatening injuries but required medical care on-site. NHS paramedics triaged the victims at the scene, providing immediate first aid before the patients were transferred to hospitals across London.
Given the scale of the incident, with multiple casualties and the threat of the fire spreading, the situation was categorised as a NHS Methane / major incident event. A "Major Incident" is typically declared when the severity of the event overwhelms the usual emergency response capabilities, requiring additional resources and coordination. This classification, based on the magnitude of the emergency, enabled additional resources, including air ambulance services and specialised medical teams, to be deployed swiftly. Due to the large-scale nature of the event, a Major Incident was declared across all responding agencies, including the NHS, the London Fire Brigade, and Metropolitan Police Service. Coordination among the agencies was essential in maintaining a swift, organised response to the crisis.
An NHS Operations Manager, alongside the NHS Director of Operations, and a LFB Station Commander were called to the scene to oversee the incident and ensure effective management of resources. Their primary responsibilities included providing operational support to both the public and emergency personnel, as well as ensuring that medical care was appropriately prioritised and provided to those in need.
Statement from LFB Station Commander Biscuit (JC-3):
As of 21:00 hours a call was passed from control to LFB regarding a multiple vehicle pile up, LFB dispatched DPL's (Dual purpose Ladders) and its Fire Rescue Unit to the scene. Upon arrival at 21:04 hours JC-3 took Incident command for LFB Liaising with NHS Incident command, LFB's IC set up water monitors to contain the fire and reduce like hood of spread while NHS set up their Triage and Ambulance loading point, At 21:18 Hours JC-3 Paged more firefighters requesting more DPL's and a BASU van (Breathing apparatus support unit) along with declaring a Major incident with NHS Incident commanders.
LFB continued the use of water monitors to contain the fire while committing firefighters to breathing apparatus wear actively tackling the fires, Firefighters were also tasked with casualty retrieval within the wreckage, At 21:47 the scene was declared safe by JC-3 with all fires extinguished and all casualties retrieved leaving LFB to pack up equipment and aid recovery services with the removal of vehicles, The Fire Investigation Team and the Polices Collison Investigation Units will begin an investigation to what had lead up to and caused the incident.
The scene remained active throughout the night, with emergency teams continuing to clear wreckage, and ensure the safety of the public. Investigations into the cause of the pile-up and the exact circumstances surrounding the fire are ongoing. In the aftermath, the NHS and local emergency services continue to provide ongoing care to the injured, and further support has been made available to those affected by the incident.