It was early Wednesday when the blaze at Kosher Kingdom in Golders Green did its damage. The community was already on edge after a stabbing not long ago, and this has put the fear in them. You could see thick smoke over the neighbourhood in northwest London, and officials were telling people to stay in. The Met have confirmed there are no injuries to speak of.
Safety measures and travel impact
With the smoke so heavy, we’ve been told to keep our doors and windows shut while the fire service puts out any last hot spots. Some of Golders Green Road by Beverley Gardens is off-limits; you’re better off not going near until they are done with their work.
You’ll see Met officers on hand to see to evacuations and make sure the cordon is held. Public safety comes first, they say, as they look into why the fire happened.
How the emergency unfolded
The London Fire Brigade says they were fielding 56-odd calls from the public in a panic starting at 6:47 a.m. They sent 15 engines to where the flames had a firm hold in a ground-floor shop and the back of the three-storey building.
Word is that 100 or so firefighters and 15 engines put in the work to put it out. They even had to bring in a 32-metre turntable ladder. Crews from Finchley, Willesden, West Hampstead and other stations made their way in to make sure it didn’t jump to the next door and to dampen things down.
One account has the fire starting just after 6:45 am BST in the building that has flats above the store. LFB put it down to more than 50 calls as things got out of hand.
Community on edge after recent violence
This has put the London Jewish community on edge. In Golders Green, you have to be a little jumpy these days after a run of arsons on synagogues and the like.
Feeling were already raw from a stabbing in late April that put two Jewish men in hospital. The government called it a ‘vile act of terrorism’ and upped the national threat level to ‘severe’.
What residents and shoppers need to know now
If you are one of the locals who makes do with Kosher Kingdom, this is a nuisance. The high street is hard to get to and the smoke is still an issue while they do what they have to. We are being told to wait on the investigation until the fire is properly out.
This is what we have from the authorities and the reports:
– No one has been reported injured
– If you are in the area, keep your windows and doors in
– Steer clear of Golders Green Road around Beverley Gardens
– 15 fire engines made the trip to the scene
– Some 100 firefighters put out the fire
– They will start looking into it once it’s all put out
What happens next
It is a bit too soon to put a finger on how it began, according to those in charge. They will get to it once they have the site under control and the hot spots are gone for good.
For the time being, the word is to be patient and careful. Don’t go near the cordon, watch for official news and don’t put yourself in the smoke until they give the all-clear.
