In central London, Somerset House is on fire, the blaze is now under control

photo: © Kevin Meredith, Somerset House

London – Today, the neoclassical palace Somerset House was on fire in central London. The fire was brought under control in the evening, no one was injured, and firefighters are extinguishing the last hotspots. Crews will remain at the scene as a precaution until Sunday. Acting Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade Keeley Foster said this on-site. The palace serves as an arts center, housing, among other things, a gallery. According to the building's manager, the artworks were not damaged.

The intervention lasted from 11:59 to 18:51 local time (from 12:59 to 19:51 CEST) and involved 125 firefighters with 20 vehicles, the firefighters reported on their website. The cause of the fire is still unknown, and according to Foster, an investigation will begin immediately.

"The crews worked incredibly hard in very hot weather and the heat of the fire to protect Somerset House from further damage,” said Foster. "The fire was located in part of the building's roof space. Due to the age and construction of the building, the initial intervention was challenging for the crews,” she added, noting that as a result, firefighters deployed four ladders, including one aerial ladder that is 64 meters long.

The palace is home to an arts center, which was supposed to host a breakdance day today. Shortly after the fire broke out, the managers stated on platform X that all staff and the public are safe, and the site is closed.

In the northern wing is the Courtauld Gallery, which exhibits paintings by old and modern masters, including Peter Paul Rubens, Édouard Manet, and Claude Monet. Its collection also includes a self-portrait of Vincent van Gogh with a bandaged ear. The director of the organization managing the building told the BBC that the fire broke out in the west wing of the palace, where no artworks are located.

Videos on social media showed gray smoke rising from the roof of the building into the air, above the Thames and nearby Waterloo Bridge. According to the BBC, staff and visitors stood outside, and the clouds of smoke were visible from afar.

Somerset House is located on the south bank of the Thames, along Strand street in the Borough of Westminster. The main neoclassical part of the building dates from 1776 to 1796 and was designed by architect William Chambers. Later, Victorian wings were added.

It is also a popular filming location. The building has appeared in two Bond films: GoldenEye from 1995 and Tomorrow Never Dies from 1997.