Cars catch fire at London shopping centre with smoke pouring into the sky

The fire brigade is investigating after several cars caught fire in a shopping centre car park.

The vehicles caught alight in the open-air car park of Brent Cross Shopping Centre in Hendon, north London, on Saturday afternoon.

Videos shared on social media showed thick plumes of black smoke rising from the car park and into the sky.

Rosanna Rafel-Rix, 35, a programme manager based in north London, captured video of the fire.

She said: ‘I was leaving Brent Cross and there were plumes of black smoke coming from the John Lewis entrance of the centre. So I started to film.

‘As I got closer I saw it was at least one car fully on fire causing the smoke and it didn’t look like the centre itself, but I couldn’t really tell.

‘There were no alarms that I heard of people running out, but in the car park people were trying to get away.’

Four fire engines and crews from West Hampstead, Finchley, Willesden and other surrounding stations attended the scene.

The fire was under control by about 6pm, about two hours after the London Fire Brigade (LFB) was called to the scene, and a spokesperson for the brigade said the cause of the fire was being investigated.

Brent Cross Shopping Centre also confirmed an investigation is ongoing.

The number of cars on fire has not been confirmed, but pictures and videos show several vehicles have been left completely destroyed by the blaze.

A spokesperson for the LFB added: ‘The Brigade received the first of 26 calls reporting the fire at 1606, and crews from West Hampstead, Finchley, Willesden and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.

‘Crews had the incident under control by 1814. The cause of the fire is under investigation by our investigation unit.’

No injuries have been reported.

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