King’s Hall Methodist Church Fire – London (UK)
King’s Hall Methodist Church fire - Picture: London Fire Brigade via https://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/
On February 22, 2026, the King’s Hall Methodist Church, a Grade II-listed historic building constructed in 1916 by the renowned architect Sir Alfred Gelder (of Gelder & Kitchen), sustained severe fire damage in the late evening. This incident represents a significant loss to London’s architectural heritage and the Southall community.
Opened as a Methodist mission hall with cinema operations in the 1920s and 1930s, the church served as a community hub for over a century. It hosted worship, social gatherings and cultural events.
Its red-brick facade, three-storey massing and elegant interior dome (now collapsed) exemplified early 20th-century ecclesiastical design. This design blended Arts & Crafts influences with functional Methodist austerity.
Recognised by the Twentieth Century Society for its architectural merit, it was a rare survivor of interwar religious architecture despite closure in 2013 and subsequent dereliction.
Incident Dynamics and Emergency Response
At 21:30 initial 999 calls reported flames engulfing the derelict structure. Visible plumes illuminated the night sky attracting a crowd.
The London Fire Brigade deployed 10 fire engines and 70 firefighters from Southall, Ealing, Heston, Northolt and Wembley stations. Two 32m turntable ladders provided elevated water streams to combat the blaze from above targeting the fully involved ground, first and second floors and roof.
Fire was declared under control by 00:38 on February 23 after more than three hours. Defensive operations prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent properties despite structural collapse.
A post-fire assessment declared the building structurally unsafe. No injuries were reported and the road was reopened the following day.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, though arson is suspected due to the building’s vacancy.
This incident highlights the heightened fire vulnerability of abandoned historic buildings a recurring theme on FRH. See the recent case of the Saint-Paul Church Fire in Montreal (February 23, 2026).
