A major fire erupted at Colthrop Business Park, a waste management centre near Thatcham in West Berkshire, on Monday evening just after 7:30pm. The blaze, which produced dramatic flames and billowing smoke, caused significant disruption to the area, prompting Network Rail to establish a 150-metre exclusion zone that led to the suspension of all train services between Reading and Bedwyn.

Emergency services responded to multiple calls about the incident, which was accompanied by loud explosions and popping sounds audible from as far as two and a half miles away at Newbury Racecourse. Residents were instructed to close windows and remain indoors due to strong fumes, with some families evacuating their homes out of concern for potential harmful effects from what many suspected was a battery fire. Train services were expected to resume normal operations by Tuesday morning, though limited services and rail replacement buses operated throughout Monday evening.