Devastating Blaze Hits VHP Hindu Centre on Cleveland Road
Fire Rips Through Centre on Friday Night
A fierce fire tore through the VHP Hindu Centre on Cleveland Road late Friday evening (30 August), leaving the single-storey building severely damaged. Flames engulfed the site shortly after 8pm, sparking panic in the local community.
Huge Firefighter Response to Massive Blaze
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) sprang into action after receiving around 14 emergency calls. Six fire engines and some 40 firefighters from Ilford, Barking, Stratford, Leyton, Hainault, and Romford stations raced to the scene.
A 32-metre turntable ladder from Dagenham Fire Station was deployed, used as a water tower to beat back the flames from above. The fire was finally brought under control by 9.21pm, but the centre sustained significant damage.
No Injuries, But Local Chaos
Thankfully, no injuries have been reported. However, the blaze caused major disruption across the area. Redbridge Council warned roads including Ilford Lane and nearby routes towards Sunnyside Road were closed. Residents were urged to keep windows and doors shut because of thick smoke drifting through the streets.
London Fire Brigade on the Frontline
“The Brigade received around 14 calls about the fire and Control Officers mobilised six fire engines and around 40 firefighters to the scene. A 32-metre turntable ladder from Dagenham Fire Station also attended and was used as a water tower to help extinguish the fire from above,”
said an LFB spokesperson.
Fire Cause Still a Mystery
Fire investigators are expected to comb through the debris to determine what sparked the inferno. For now, locals remain shaken as authorities work to piece together what happened.
Read more from Barking and Dagenham.
