Around 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines were called to tackle a major Forest Hill fire that broke out at Finches Emporium, a well-known skiing and snowboarding store in south-east London.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed that the blaze affected a mixed-use property on Perry Vale, with a shop on the ground floor and flats above.
The first of 49 calls was received at 18:27 BST on Thursday (October 16), prompting a large-scale response from crews based in Forest Hill, Lewisham, Beckenham, West Norwood, and surrounding stations. By the time firefighters brought the flames under control, the incident had become one of the most significant in the capital this week.
According to the London Fire Brigade, the Forest Hill fire spread rapidly through the basement, ground, first, and second floors of the building. A single-storey workshop to the rear of the property was also partially alight.
Firefighters worked for more than three hours to contain the blaze, finally bringing it under control at 11:44pm. However, parts of the structure continued to smoulder into the early hours of Friday morning, with crews remaining on site overnight to extinguish remaining hotspots.
Images posted by the LFB on social media showed firefighters outside Finches Emporium, while videos shared by eyewitnesses captured intense flames and thick black smoke rising from the building. Around 15 people were evacuated from nearby properties and taken to a rest centre for safety, and fortunately there have been no reports of injuries.
Station Commander Anthony Lewis, who is leading the response, described it as a “protracted incident” and confirmed that crews would be working through the night. He urged residents to keep their windows and doors closed due to the smoke, and a 25-metre safety cordon remains in place around the site. Members of the public have been advised to avoid the area while firefighting and investigation efforts continue.
To bring the Forest Hill fire under control, firefighters used advanced equipment including two 32-metre turntable ladders operating as water towers to douse the flames from above. A drone was also deployed to provide an aerial view of the scene, helping commanders coordinate the complex response.
Station Commander Lewis warned of “significant traffic disruption” across Forest Hill, particularly along the A205 South Circular Road, which remains partially closed. Rail services via Forest Hill station were also affected, with temporary closures implemented for safety reasons.
By Friday morning, parts of the ground floor shop and rear workshop were still alight, with fire crews continuing to damp down hotspots and assess structural damage.
The cause of the Forest Hill fire is currently unknown, and a full investigation will be carried out by the London Fire Brigade’s fire investigation team. Residents have been urged to stay clear of the cordoned area and to follow official updates, with authorities expected to provide further information today (October 17).
As the community wakes to the aftermath of this major blaze, Finches Emporium and surrounding properties face a challenging recovery. The swift and coordinated response from firefighters prevented further spread. This ensured that, despite the scale of the fire, no lives were lost.
