LONDON: A fire that erupted at London’s historic Somerset House on Saturday required 125 firefighters to contain it, CNN reported, citing the London Fire Brigade.
Smoke could be seen rising over central London from the roof of the building. Firefighters worked from a crane to contain the fire.
The building, now being used as a cultural centre, was earlier home to the Royal Navy. A gallery in the building has Vincent Van Gogh’s self-portrait of himself with a bandaged ear, according to a CNN report.
In a statement posted on X, the London Fire Brigade stated, “The fire at #SomersetHouse is now under control and investigations into the cause will begin. Crews will remain on scene into tomorrow, carrying out further operations.”
Around 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines were deployed to Somerset House, according to the London Fire Brigade. The statement said that the cause of the fire is not known yet and Somerset House has been closed to the public whilst the fire is being tackled.
The crews were fighting flames in part of the building’s roof with two of the brigade’s 32-metre ladders being used, according to the statement.
According to the statement, the fire brigade was called shortly before midday and the fire was brought under control shortly before 7 pm (local time), according to a CNN report.
Speaking to reporters, Assistant Commissioner at the London Fire Brigade Keeley Foster said, “Crews carried out a complex & technical response. This included creating fire breaks in the roof which limited the spread of flames. We’re now extinguishing the final pockets of fire”
The complex was first built in the 1500s. Later, it was demolished and rebuilt in the 1700s. Creative events and exhibitions are held in Somerset House. The complex has the Courtauld Gallery, which houses work by Manet, Van Gogh, and Monet among others. Kings College London has its school of law in the east wing of the building.
The complex is also used as a filming location and can be seen in the backdrops of films and TV shows like ‘Downton Abbey,’ ‘Love Actually,’ and ‘X Men: First Class,’ the report said.
On Saturday, it said a dance battle was scheduled to be held in the open-air courtyard of the building, with “a day of dance and breaking showcases, workshops, live DJs, and a big outdoor party, all culminating in a head-to-head dance battle between the four corners of London,” CNN reported.
In a statement, Somerset House said, “All staff and public are safe and the site is closed.” It further said, “The London Fire Brigade arrived swiftly and we’re working very closely with them to control the spread of the fire.” (ANI)