Police and the London Fire Brigade have said that a fire yesterday afternoon (15 May 2023) which damaged half the first floor and roof of a semi-detached two storey house converted into flats on Willow Road in South Ealing is being investigated as the location for a suspected cannabis factory.
The Brigade was called at 1:50pm and the fire was under control by 4:29pm. Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters tackled the fire with crews from Heston, Park Royal, Richmond, Acton, Hammersmith and Southall fire stations.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Cannabis factory fires can be particularly dangerous because of the way criminals use unsafe wiring to illegally obtain electricity in order to grow the plants. They’re often in top floors or lofts which means when a fire takes hold it spreads, destroying roofs and damaging neighbouring buildings.”
The spokesperson added: “Firefighters can also be exposed to risks when dealing with the fires because of bad wiring and traps at some of the properties. It’s important that people know the key signs and inform the police so that they can act swiftly to prevent these dangerous fires from happening.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Brigade and the Metropolitan Police Service.
