Shoppers Flee as Cars Explode Outside Brent Cross Mall – Fire Crews Battle Massive Blaze
A huge car park fire rocked Brent Cross Shopping Centre on Saturday afternoon (May 10), sending columns of thick black smoke over North London and shocking weekend shoppers.
The incident unfolded around 4:06pm, when multiple cars caught fire in an open-air lot outside John Lewis, near Prince Charles Drive. Fire crews raced to the scene, with four engines and 25 firefighters tackling the inferno.
“Plumes of smoke were visible from the North Circular,” said one eyewitness, while others captured terrifying footage as cars burned uncontrollably, just metres from the busy shopping centre.
What We Know So Far:
- Fire began in the Brent Cross car park just after 4pm
- At least two cars completely destroyed
- No reported injuries
- Fire brought under control at 6:14pm
- Cause of fire under investigation
- Crews from West Hampstead, Finchley and Willesden responded
Eyewitnesses Speak Out
Rosanna Rafel-Rix, a shopper who filmed the blaze, said:
There were huge plumes of smoke coming from the John Lewis entrance. One car was fully on fire. In the car park, people were trying to get away – fast.”
LFB Confirms: “We’re Investigating”
The London Fire Brigade confirmed the fire was fully extinguished by early evening, and its Fire Investigation Unit has now launched a probe into how it started.
A spokesperson said:
“There were no injuries, and the shopping centre itself was unaffected. However, we are taking the incident seriously and looking into the cause.”
