A huge blaze ripped through the roof at the historic Somerset House in central London which will remain closed indefinitely.
At least 20 fire engines and 125 firefighters were dispatched to the renowned art and cultural centre on the Strand after the alarm was raised around midday on Saturday.
Crews battled a fire in the roof while an investigation has been launched into the cause of the blaze.
Witnesses reported seeing thick plumes of smoke visible from as far as the south bank of the Thames.
Somerset House will remain closed as the structure is examined by experts and firefighters carry out a ‘damping down’ of the roof.
The venue tweeted just after midday: “All staff and public are safe and the site is closed.
“The London Fire Brigade arrived swiftly and we’re working very closely with them to control the spread of the fire.”
Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters have now been sent in response to the fire at #SomersetHouse.
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 17, 2024
Crews are tackling a fire located in part of the buildings roof https://t.co/jDdNzqxt6z
The director of Somerset House Trust said the fire broke out in the west wing of the building and there are “no artworks in that area”.
Priceless paintings, including a Van Gogh painting, have not been damaged and all public are “safe” after a fire ripped through the roof.
London Fire Brigade said 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines were helping to tackle the blaze. Small pockets of fire were still raging into the evening but the blaze had been contained by around 6.30pm.
Somerset House Trust director Jonathan Reekie said the fire broke out in the west wing of the building, which is mainly comprised of offices and “back-of-house” facilities, and there are “no artworks in that area”.
The Courtauld Gallery, located in the north wing, is home to a collection of famous paintings including Vincent Van Gogh’s 1889 self-portrait of himself with a bandaged ear. The Courtauld will re-open on Sunday, officials said. However, Somerset House will remain closed until further notice.
Mr Reekie, 59, has been director of the trust for 10 years said: “It’s too early to comment on the building’s condition, but I think, thanks to the efforts of the emergency services, I am confident that the damage is to one small part of the building
“As the London Fire Brigade continue their investigations and operations, Somerset House will remain closed to the public until further notice, but I am happy to say that the Courtauld art gallery and institute will remain open from tomorrow.
“Everybody is safe and for now we want to let the London Fire Brigade get on and do their brilliant work.
“The west wing is mainly offices and back-of-house facilities, there are no artworks in that area.”
Mr Reekie said he was not inside the building when the fire broke out.
London Fire Brigade has warned people to stay away from the area.
The London Fire Brigade said the cause of the fire is currently unknown.
There have been no reports of injuries or casualties.
Breaking: Fire at London's Somerset House pic.twitter.com/hvopUaZTSz
— William Mata (@journowillmata) August 17, 2024
LFB tweeted: “Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters have now been sent in response to the fire at #SomersetHouse.
“Crews are tackling a fire located in part of the buildings roof.”
Crews from Soho, Dowgate and Islington are among those to have been sent to the scene, while 32m ladders were used.
A spokesperson for Somerset House said: "Owing to a fire in one small part of Somerset House, the site is currently closed.
"London Battle and other events today will not take place. We apologise for any inconvenience."
Michelle Birkby, 50, who lives in London and is a writer, said: “I was walking along the South Bank, and could smell smoke, looked up and saw smoke coming out of the top of Somerset House.
“At first I assumed it was a barbecue in the courtyard, or some sort of event, but then I heard the fire engines, realised the smoke was billowing out of control and that Somerset House was on fire.”
London Ambulance Service has urged people to avoid the area and for local businesses to keep their windows and doors closed.
Michelle Birkby, 50, who lives in London and is a writer, told the PA news agency: “I was walking along the South Bank, and could smell smoke, looked up and saw smoke coming out of the top of Somerset House.
“At first I assumed it was a barbecue in the courtyard, or some sort of event, but then I heard the fire engines, realised the smoke was billowing out of control and that Somerset House was on fire.
“It’s a place I visit quite often and I know it’s beautiful and I really hope they can stop the fire before it does too much damage.”
A break-dancing event due to be held at Somerset House has been cancelled due to the fire, staff who work in the building have said.
The London Battle was set to run from 2pm to 8.30pm, celebrating the sport’s Olympic debut in Paris.
The event was described on the Somerset House website as “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”.
Meanwhile fire crews have taken off their PPE but are still at work, and a fire engine was seen carefully driving through the narrow arches into the courtyard.
A woman, who would not give her name but said she works in Somerset House, walked out of the cordon and told the PA news agency: “It’s fine, it’s localised in one area.”
Alan Robinson, 71, a Catholic priest who works nearby and lives in Covent Garden, said he was worried about the “irreplaceable” art collection in the Courtauld Gallery.
He told the PA news agency: “The Courtauld Gallery is in there, I have no idea what the value of the collection is, but it’s millions (of pounds) – irreplaceable stuff.”
A large poster of Vincent Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear was displayed on the railings, which is listed as a part of the Courtauld collection on the gallery’s website.
Fire wardens in high-vis jackets escorted people away from the venue carrying signs that said “fire assembly point”.
