A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire at a school in west London on Wednesday.
Ten fire engines and about 70 firefighters were called to the London Oratory School on Seagrave Road in Fulham around 10am, along with police and the ambulance service.
Part of an atrium was damaged in a four-storey building with a basement, the fire brigade said.
"At around 11.15am a 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of arson and taken into custody," a Met Police spokesperson said in a statement.
"There are not believed to be any injuries.
"The cause of the fire is under investigation."
London Fire Brigade said the blaze was under control by around 11.45am and it was investigating along with the Met.A nearby shopping centre and some homes were evacuated as a precaution.
The fire at a #Fulham school is now under control. Thankfully no injuries are reported. Part of an atrium was damaged by fire. https://t.co/Ph2hFeQ80g pic.twitter.com/63FsjcLJRU
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) December 27, 2023
A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade, speaking to reporters at the scene on Wednesday, said: “It was an automatic fire alarm....The fire was on the fourth floor, in the atrium. I don’t know if the library was affected. There is a small amount of water damage.”
Residents were urged to keep their windows closed.
The Met said around 1.15pm that road closures remained in place, and urged people to avoid the area.
London Oratory School, which admits boys aged seven to 18 and girls aged 16 to 18, is a short distance from the Chelsea stadium, Stamford Bridge.
The sons of former prime minister Tony Blair, and former deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg, both previously attended the prestigious Catholic school.
The school's alumni include actor Simon Callow, and trade unionist Mick Whelan.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Our crews at the #Fulham school fire are dealing with a blaze in an atrium. https://t.co/Ph2hFeQ80g pic.twitter.com/K8Ydg37s4q
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) December 27, 2023
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, the ambulance service said: "We have an incident response officer and hazardous area response team on standby at the fire in Fulham.
"Please avoid the area if possible and close your windows if you live nearby."
Chelsea and Fulham MP Greg Hands said he was "concerned" by the incident, and was in touch with the police.
Posting on X, he added: "Lots of helicopter noise overhead this part of Fulham too."
London Oratory School is among at least 18 London schools confirmed to have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) - a lightweight and unreliable building material that is prone to collapse.
It later emerged the school - along with The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls in Ealing, which was also found to contain RAAC - had had renovation financing cut by central government in 2010.
