Three robots collided at an Ocado warehouse in Erith, south-east London, causing a fire and the facility's evacuation. 

The incident disrupted operations, led to the evacuation of about 800 staff members, and resulted in the cancellation of thousands of orders. Around 100 firefighters worked overnight to contain the blaze. 

No injuries were reported. At the time, the warehouse was serviced by around 3,500 delivery-packing robots. 

The damage, which Ocado estimated to cost GBP 35 million, was limited to a small section of the warehouse. The company’s shares slipped by about 3 percent. 

The incident raised questions about the safety of Ocado's automated packing system.

➖  July 2019. An Ocado robot malfunctioned in its Andover warehouse, resulting in a major fire. The warehouse had to re-built at an estimated cost of GBP 110 million.