A major fire tore through a community garden in Hackney, east London, destroying several structures and forcing nearby residents to evacuate their homes. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to Graham Road at approximately 10.30pm on Wednesday after flames broke out at the community garden. Crews from Homerton, Bethnal Green and Stoke Newington tackled the blaze, which sent flames and smoke into the night sky. Nearby residents were evacuated as firefighters worked to prevent the fire from spreading. London Fire Brigade had the incident under control by 11.57pm. Several allotments and structures were destroyed, while a shed at the site was partially damaged. No injuries have been reported. London Fire Brigade said the blaze is believed to have started accidentally, with an electrical event involving an electricity meter considered the most likely cause. Police have also begun enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the fire. Witnesses reported hearing two loud bangs before the blaze developed, with the flames reportedly visible from across parts of east London. The site is believed to be the Garden of Earthly Delights, a community project which hosts workshops, talks, volunteering activities and other educational initiatives. A volunteer described the damage as devastating and said significant effort had been put into developing the community facility. Despite the damage to several structures, local residents said the wider garden survived following the rapid response from firefighters.

Originally published by UKNIP.