Blast Rocks Wimbledon: 100 Evacuated After Explosion on Queens Road
A terrifying explosion near Wimbledon train station has sent a man to hospital and forced the evacuation of 100 people from a local shopping centre.
Explosion Hits Queens Road
At 10:06am on Monday, November 17, emergency services rushed to Queens Road following reports of a powerful blast. The London Ambulance Service quickly dispatched ambulance crews, hazardous area officers, and paramedics.
A man suffering serious burns was treated at the scene before being rushed to hospital.
Chaos at Wimbledon Quarter Shopping Centre
The London Fire Brigade evacuated around 100 shoppers and workers from the nearby Wimbledon Quarter Shopping Centre. Two fire engines battled the fallout from the blast.
“I felt a huge shock wave through the place. Didn’t have any alarms go off or anything, and the next thing we know we were evacuated,” said Tim Plummer, working inside the shopping centre.
“There were three large fire engines and ambulances there. It came from the car park.”
Road Closures and Official Statements
- The Wimbledon Quarter Shopping Centre has reopened, but the car park remains closed.
- Local MP Paul Kohler called the blast “believed to be accidental” and praised emergency teams for their swift action.
- The Metropolitan Police confirmed the explosion is not terror-related.
- Queens Road is closed both ways between Princes Road and The Broadway; residents are urged to avoid the area.
- Bus route 200 faces disruptions amid ongoing emergency work.
Stay with us for live updates as the story develops.
