Devastating Blaze Guts Historic King's Hall Methodist Church
Southall building declared structurally unsafe after fire
The fire ripping through the building on South Road. Picture: London Fire Brigade
February 23, 2026
A major fire tore through the derelict King’s Hall Methodist Church on South Road in Southall overnight on Sunday 22 February, leaving the roof and upper floors collapsed and the once prominent building structurally unsafe. Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were mobilised to tackle the blaze after emergency control officers took the first of more than 20 calls at about 9.30pm, and crews brought the fire under control in the early hours of Monday morning.
London Fire Brigade crews used two 32-metre turntable ladders to fight the flames from above and worked through the night to extinguish hotspots. A brigade spokesperson said firefighters remained on scene until the afternoon to complete damping-down operations before handing the site to partner agencies. There were no reports of injuries. South Road was closed while emergency services worked at the scene but has since reopened and local businesses are reported to be operating as usual.
The fire caused extensive structural damage, with the roof and upper floors collapsing. Following an assessment by the local authority the derelict church has been declared structurally unsafe, though the brigade said there is no risk to surrounding properties. An investigation into the cause of the blaze has been launched.
The Fire Brigade warned people to steer clear of the area. Picture: London Fire Brigade
King’s Hall has been a familiar landmark in Southall for more than a century. The building was constructed in 1916 and designed by Sir Alfred Gelder; it has served various roles over the decades, including periods as a Methodist mission and as a cinema in the 1920s and 1930s before reverting to church use. In recent years the Grade II-listed building had fallen into disuse and was derelict prior to the fire.
The King's Hall before the fire. Picture: Derelictplaces.com
The interior of the King's Hall before the fire. Picture: Derelictplaces.com
Emergency services have urged people to avoid the area while partner agencies and the local authority assess the damaged structure and determine safe next steps. The cause of the fire remains under investigation and authorities have not yet released further details about how the blaze started.
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