Overnight storms slam London with floods, fires and travel disruption

Thunderstorms and heavy overnight rain flooded parts of London, triggering two lightning-caused house fires and widespread travel disruption as Heathrow terminals faced flooding and key lines (the Elizabeth line, Heathrow Express) operated with delays or reduced services. The London Fire Brigade logged roughly 400 calls and warned drivers to avoid floodwater, with affected areas including Twickenham, Richmond and Balham, ahead of a forewarned, record-approaching heat spell and a rare red heat alert around 40C for England.