Update on police response to fire in Hayes

Commander Simon Messinger who is leading the Met Police response to the incident said:

"We continue to work with various partners in response to the serious fire at an electricity sub-station in Hayes in the early hours of this morning (Friday, 21 March).

“A number of local officers have been deployed to the area to provide support, help and advice to local residents and businesses and help keep the local community safe.

“We would like to thank the public and those directly affected by the consequences of the fire for their patience and understanding while the important firefighting activity continues.

"In the early hours, officers also supported local authorities and others to evacuate nearby residents to ensure people were safe. We are pleased that impacted residents are now able to return home and our officers remain on-hand alongside Hillingdon Council to assist with this process.

“Officers also worked at pace with teams from National Highways England to help limit disruption to the surrounding road networks.

“Local officers will continue to be deployed across Hillingdon, Hounslow and Ealing to provide the local community and partners with any assistance. Anyone with concerns over their safety should talk to a local officer.

“In addition to this, the investigation into the cause of the fire remains in its early stages. After initial assessment, we are not treating this incident as suspicious, although enquiries do remain ongoing.

“Due to the location of the substation and the impact this incident has had on critical national infrastructure, the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are leading our enquiries into this matter.

“This is due to the specialist resources and capabilities within that command that can assist in progressing this investigation at pace and to help minimise disruption and identify the cause.

“Officers are working closely with a number of local partners, including the London Fire Brigade, National Grid and SSEN to build a picture of the circumstances surrounding the fire.

“Various specialist investigators continue to examine the scene and it is expected to take some time before full assessments can be completed.

“Officers will continue to work alongside colleagues on the investigation, but as we have stated above, at this stage, there remains no indication of any foul play.

“Anyone with information that could assist with the ongoing investigation can contact us by calling 0800 789 321.”