Woman Taken to Hospital After Fire on High Street |
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'Hot works' blamed for starting blaze at former barber shop premises
June 23, 2026 Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to a blaze above the former Paradise Cuts barber shop on Acton High Street in the early hours of Sunday morning (21 June). The fire, which broke out shortly after midnight, damaged part of a roof that was undergoing renovation. Around eight people left the building before London Fire Brigade crews arrived, and one woman was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service as a precaution. Control officers received the first of ten emergency calls at 12:35am, and firefighters worked for nearly two hours to bring the incident under control. Fire investigators believe the blaze was accidental, caused by hot works taking place on the roof. Hot works is a construction term referring to tasks that generate heat, sparks or open flames — such as welding, cutting, grinding, soldering or the use of blowtorches — and are a common cause of fires on refurbishment sites. Because these activities can easily ignite timber, insulation, dust or other combustible materials, they require strict safety controls, including hot-work permits, fire watches and the removal of flammable items from the work area.
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