Train operations between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport halted on Saturday afternoon, 5 September 2026, after a grass fire near Scrubs Lane, North Kensington, caused an electricity supply failure. This outage blocked all train lines connecting Paddington with Heathrow and the route towards Reading, affecting Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line, and Great Western Railway (GWR) services.
Fire Incident and Emergency Response
The London Fire Brigade dispatched six fire engines and approximately 40 firefighters to extinguish the blaze, which was reported shortly after 4:10 pm. As a result of the fire, 380 passengers stranded on an Elizabeth Line train were evacuated in a joint operation between Transport
for London (TfL) and the fire service. The fire near the railway tracks generated large smoke plumes visible over the Paddington area.
Additionally, pre-planned engineering works took place early Sunday morning, 6 September, closing several lines between London Paddington and Burnham until 7:40 am. Elizabeth Line services between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway were suspended from 2:00 am until 7:40 am, resuming after with amended timetables. GWR reported early morning schedule adjustments, operating a reduced local service between London Paddington and Reading and Didcot Parkway.
Passenger Impact and Service Disruptions
The fire caused cancellations and delays across Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line, and GWR routes, affecting
travelers on connections to and from Heathrow Airport. Passengers faced service suspensions extending into Saturday evening, with full rail service restoration not achieved until Sunday morning. Heathrow Airport advised travelers to allocate additional journey time due to rail disruptions and Piccadilly line delays.
Separate Fire at Heathrow Airfield Causing Flight Disruptions
A separate grass fire earlier on Saturday at Heathrow’s airfield forced temporary closure of the airport’s southern runway, resulting in the diversion of at least two flights. The airfield fire contributed to wider operational challenges at the airport throughout the day.
Service Resumption and Official Statements
National Rail declared the disruption to the Elizabeth Line, Heathrow Express, and GWR services ended as
of Sunday morning, while Network Rail Western confirmed the fire was extinguished but cautioned about potential delays persisting into Sunday. GWR reported running a “good service” across most of its network by Sunday morning. Heathrow Airport acknowledged the incident and apologized for passenger inconvenience, noting the fire was brought under control quickly.
Additional complications included a power cut at Manor Park on Sunday morning, which led to trains bypassing the station, running non-stop between Ilford and Forest Gate. Overall, normal service resumed after these disruptions across affected routes following the firefighting and power restoration efforts.
