UK weather news – live: Heatwave fires ‘like the Blitz’ as dozens of homes destroyed
Around 19 houses were destroyed after fires tore through rows of houses in Wennington
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The scene at a smouldering village on the outskirts of London, which saw some of yesterday’s most devastating fires, has been described by a resident as being “like the Blitz”.
Around 19 houses were destroyed after fires first seen in back gardens rapidly tore through rows of houses in Wennington.
Resident Tim Stock, who lost his family home of 60 years in the blaze, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It was like a warzone. Down the actual main road, all the windows had exploded out, all the rooves had caved, it was like a scene from the Blitz really.”
It comes as some 41 properties including homes and warehouses have been destroyed in the capital as Tuesday’s heatwave saw the busiest day for London’s Fire Brigade (LFB) since the Second World War, according to Sadiq Khan.
Operating in 40C heat on Tuesday, firefighters took an estimated 2,600 emergency calls and responded to over 1,000 fire calls, the London mayor told Sky News.
Of the 16 firefighters who suffered “heat-related injuries”, two were hospitalised, LFB assistant commissioner Jonathan Smith said. Both have since been released.
Good afternoon.
We are pausing our live heatwave updates for today. Thank you for joining us.
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PA
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Temperature records were broken three times in one day in the UK on Tuesday, after temperatures hit 40.3C at Coningsby, surpassing two other records set just hours earlier.
The Met Office said a provisional temperature of 39.1C had been recorded in Charlwood, Surrey, at 10.40 am on Tuesday only for that record to be broken soon after.
London Heathrow reported a temperature of 40.2C at 12.50pm, followed by 40.3C at Coningsby at 4pm.
The highs exceeded the previous UK record of 38.7 in Cambridge in 2019.
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