Mitcham Fire Station

Discover the history of firefighting in Mitcham.

The first fire station at Mitcham was built in 1927. Although records show that the area had a steam fire engine as early as 1887.

During the Second World War

The Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) formed nationally in 1938. This was part of the Civil Defence Service, and designed to increase firefighting resources in wartime. Mitcham was supported by three AFS sub stations at:

  • Fortescue Road School
  • Pascalls Factory
  • Rowen Road School

The fire station frequently attended major incidents in the heart of London during 1940-1941 at the height of the Blitz bombing campaign.

On the night of 10 May 1941, twelve AFS firefighters, including five from Mitcham, tragically lost their lives to enemy action. The firefighters had been moving water from an emergency water supply located in the basement of the ruins of the Surrey Theatre building, to tackle fires at Elephant and Castle.

In 1941 the National Fire Service (NFS) was formed and Mitcham Fire Station became part of a new nationalised service.

From Surrey Fire Brigade to London Fire Brigade

The NFS was disbanded in 1948 and Mitcham returned to local authority control, becoming part of Surrey Fire Brigade.

In 1965, with the formation of the new Greater London Council, Mitcham Fire Station joined London Fire Brigade.

Mitcham today

The current Mitcham Fire Station opened in 2015. This provides a modern working environment for fire crews. It also has a community space and training facilities. The station houses a Pump Ladder and a Command Unit. These are crewed by a Station Officer, a Sub Officer, 3 Leading Firefighters and 5 firefighters.

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