Healthy Bites Food Stall Goes Up in Flames
Presence of gas canisters led to dispatch of hazard response team
The blaze required the closure of Chiswick High Road in both directions. Picture: Richard Griffiths
September 12, 2026
A Chiswick High Road food stall burst into flames this Friday morning (11 September).
The Healthy Bites stall, which serves food and juices, caught fire at around 10:45am.
The Fire Brigade says it received 23 calls about the fire and firefighters had brought the situation under control by 11:29am.
London Ambulance Service sent an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and paramedics from its hazardous area response team (HART). A man at the scene declined treatment from paramedics.
The stall was destroyed and firefighters removed and cooled a gas cylinder to an ambient temperature as a precaution, as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat.
The Chiswick High Road was closed both ways between Dukes Avenue and Turnham Green Terrace during the incident leading to congestion. Local bus services were diverted but the road is now reopened and services have reverted to normal.
The aftermath of the fire. Picture: ChiswickW4.com
Cllr Joanna Biddolph, who opposed the stall’s licence renewal, has called for a full review of the council’s licensing policies and processes. She said she would not speculate on the cause but noted longstanding concerns about LPG-powered cooking and hot oil on a public highway.
She expressed sympathy for the worker involved and the business, saying the incident could have longer-term impacts on those affected. In her letter to Cllr Amy Croft, cabinet member for enforcement, she wrote that “in the view of many, this was an incident waiting to happen,” citing previous warnings from local businesses.
She added that the fire highlights wider problems within the council’s licensing service and urged an urgent review to ensure businesses, customers and nearby residents are not put at risk
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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