Request ID: FOI-1435-2223 Date published: 12 October 2022
You asked
1) Please provide me with the copies of the evidence which your investigation team found (not mentioned in your initial report & a investigation that was done 10 or more days after the fire and after worked had been carried out on the cables and the long grass had been cut) that proves/ shows that the fire started in the garden and then spread to the wire as stated in you initial report.
2) Please also provide me with information/reports/ assessments to what repairs were carried out on the damage to the cable (to what believed to be the traction cable as stated in the incident report) as a result of the fire.
3) Please provide me with copies of all internal email communications directly related to the fire and repairs of said damage to the cable.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-1435-2223
Thank you for your request received on 14 September 2022 asking for further information regarding the fire on 18 July between Upney Station and Becontree Station.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require. You asked:
1) Please provide me with the copies of the evidence which your investigation team found (not mentioned in your initial report & a investigation that was done 10 or more days after the fire and after worked had been carried out on the cables and the long grass had been cut) that proves/ shows that the fire started in the garden and then spread to the wire as stated in you initial report.
Please see the attached report completed by the London Underground Control Centre team that provides a timeline of the actions on the day relating to this event.
2) Please also provide me with information/reports/ assessments to what repairs were carried out on the damage to the cable (to what believed to be the traction cable as stated in the incident report) as a result of the fire.
Please see emails within the attachment FOI-1435-223, titled ‘Tuesday 19072022 - PE Cables - 2 Noteworthy Incidents and 1 Noteworthy Update to Report_Redacted’, listing the initial incident and ‘Friday 22072022 - PE Cables - 1 Noteworthy Incident and 1 Noteworthy Update to Report_Redacted’, stating the asset being returned to service.
3) Please provide me with copies of all internal email communications directly related to the fire and repairs of said damage to the cable.
Please refer to the emails within the attachment FOI-1435-223 on page 4, titled ‘RE F669 - URGENT Vegetation Requiring Clearing Please_Redacted‘, which references track vegetation to be cleared from the area.
In accordance with our obligations under Data Protection legislation some personal data has been removed, as required by section 40(2) of the FOI Act. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle of Article 5 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation which requires all processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to disclose this personal information when the individuals have no expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the conditions which would make the processing ‘fair’.
This exemption to the right of access to information is an absolute exemption and not subject to an assessment of whether the public interest favours use of the exemption.
Was the Fire caused by an exposed Traction wire?
The e-mails provided in our response to Q2 and Q3 state, ‘Initial tripping and flashover of F669 caused fire on LU/Private Property Boundary.’ F669 is an 11kV feeder. However, the report referred to in response to Q1 states, ‘LFB [London Fire Brigade] advised NIRM [Network Incident Response Manager] that fire started in gardens and spread to ence. There is no allegation the cable exploded and started the fire.’
Please note that ‘ence’ should read ‘fence.’
Should you believe that TfL has been negligent or in breach of a statutory duty (which if alleged is not accepted) and you wish to make a claim, you will need to contact Gallagher Bassett who are TfL’s instructed claims handlers. They can be contacted via email at [email protected].
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
