Breaking news: Kingsland fire station is officially earmarked for closure

Proposals to close Kingsland fire station have just been confirmed.

The station in Kingsland Road, Haggerston is one of 12 stations earmarked for closure under plans by London Fire Brigade (LFB) to save £28.2million over the next two years, which were officially revealed this afternoon.

The announcement follows the leaking in October of a list of stations that the LFB was considering closing, which included Kingsland – one of four fire stations in Hackney.

But speaking at the time, London Fire Brigade Commissioner, Ron Dobson, dismissed the claims, saying: “Ongoing reports of individual stations closing are nothing but unfounded, sensationalised scare stories.”

Incidents in Hackney are 35 per cent higher than the London borough average of 3,328, and campaigners claim the closure of the fire station would increase response times and put residents’ lives at risk.

In the last year the fire brigade in Hackney attended around 4,500 incidents, and Kingsland Road responded to 16 per cent of these.

Clerkenwell fire station in the neighbouring borough of Islington is also earmarked for closure.

The plans, if approved, will result in the loss of 520 front line firefighter jobs across the capital.

Following a consultation, the proposed changes could be implemented from this autumn.