Explosions rock Thatcham industrial estate as huge blaze shuts train lines to London and the West Country

From the Newshound archive · first published 29 September 2026.

A massive fire tore through Colthrop Business Park in Thatcham, Berkshire, on Monday evening, with residents reporting explosions and a fireball visible for miles. Great Western Railways shut nearby tracks and suspended all trains between Reading and Newbury. Long-distance services between London Paddington and the West Country were diverted, causing widespread travel chaos. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed multiple crews were on the scene after receiving a large volume of emergency calls.

Residents posted on local Facebook groups that they could hear repeated explosions from the direction of the industrial estate.

Signalling equipment damage spread disruption beyond Thatcham, with London Victoria, Gatwick Express and Southern rail passengers also hit by cancellations throughout the day.

Plumes of smoke from the blaze were reported visible for miles across the surrounding area.