A man has been hospitalised following a significant explosion in Wimbledon, London. The incident occurred on Monday, 17 November, at approximately 10.06am on Queens Road. A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service confirmed that emergency services were dispatched promptly to the scene, including an ambulance crew, a paramedic in a fast response car, and an incident response officer. Additionally, paramedics from the hazardous area response team (HART) were also sent to assist.

The spokesperson stated, “We treated a man at the scene for burns and took him to hospital as a priority.” The nature of his injuries has not been disclosed, but the swift response indicates the seriousness of the situation.

Eyewitness accounts describe a "massive blast" that was heard by shoppers in the vicinity. A photograph shared on Reddit from the underground car park of the Wimbledon Quarter Shopping Centre shows a grey van with extensive damage to its rear. Debris is scattered around the vehicle, suggesting a significant explosion occurred nearby. One user recounted, "Crazy! My other half heard this massive blast while in her car. Cue loads of dust and smoke. Then when exiting the parking saw this. Wild."

In response to the explosion, the Wimbledon Quarter has been evacuated. Reports on social media indicate that shoppers were asked to leave the area for safety reasons. One individual posted on X, "What’s happening at #wimbledonquarter? All evacuated since something in the car park rocked the entire shopping centre."

Authorities have implemented road closures in the area as a precaution. Queens Road is currently closed in both directions between A219 The Broadway and Princes Road, and the 200 bus route is on a detour.

This is a developing story, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.