Cordon lifted in Wennington as images show devastation of major blaze on UK’s hottest day
Images from behind the cordon at a village in east London show the damage and devastation caused by the fire which broke out during last week’s heatwave.
On Tuesday, which was the hottest day ever in the UK, several houses were destroyed and others were severely damaged in Wennington after grass fires broke out, engulfing properties, as black smoke billowed into the air.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) sent 15 fire engines and about 100 firefighters to the area to deal with blazes that covered a number of buildings and grassland.
The area has been cordoned off since the fire broke out, but residents will be allowed back later on Sunday.
Sky News correspondent Ivor Bennett was shown around the area before officials lifted the cordon.
Footage showed one house with the roof completely destroyed.
Images showed several properties were left uninhabitable, with only the brick structure remaining.
While others had blown-out windows, walls cracked by intense heat and buildings reduced to rubble.
The pictured crack in the brickwork is called spalling and is caused by extreme heat
Near a local church, the blaze charred the grass while safety barriers still remain in the scene.
Up to 20 families were affected by the house fires in Wennington.
Several other fires broke out across London and England, on a day when temperatures surpassed 40C.
Firefighters were inundated with calls all around the country, with one fire chief calling the “brutal” day a “game-changer” and a preview of the effects of climate change.
Read more:
Families left counting cost of ‘devastating’ house fires
UK’s hottest-ever day leaves charred remains
The Met Office said 34 observation sites across England provisionally broke previous records, from Bramham in West Yorkshire to Charlwood in Surrey.
The London Fire Brigade said it was their busiest day since the Second World War.