LONDON
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Around 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines fought to extinguish the flames that had burst through the roof of the west wing. The fire at the 450-year-old site was under control before 7 p.m.
“The fire at #SomersetHouse is now under control and an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway,” the London Fire Service posted on the social media page X.
A breakdancing competition was supposed to take place in the neoclassical cultural complex along the Thames on Saturday when a column of smoke rose above the center and triggered dozens of calls to the fire brigade.
“The fire was in part of the attic of the building,” Keeley Foster, deputy chief of the London Fire Brigade, told reporters outside the landmark.
“The age and construction of the building presented a challenge for the emergency services during their first deployments.”
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There were no reports of injuries as employees and visitors had already left the building when firefighters arrived, the fire department added.
Somerset House, the home of Queen Elizabeth I before her coronation in 1558 and of Anne of Denmark, announced in a notice on its website that it “will remain closed until further notice”.
The striking cultural complex in the heart of London is home to a number of creative businesses and art spaces, including the Courtauld Gallery, whose masterpieces in the collection include Vincent van Gogh’s “Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear”.
“The Courtauld Gallery is not directly affected by the fire and will remain open,” Somerset House said in a statement.
Images from central London showed thick plumes of smoke rising above the building, which stretches about 180 metres along the banks of the Thames.
The magnificent building’s courtyard hosts music concerts in the summer and serves as a popular ice skating rink in the winter, which was featured in the 2003 film Love Actually.
It also appeared in the 2008 film The Duchess, starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes, as well as in Tim Burton’s 1999 horror film Sleepy Hollow and in two James Bond films.
“The crews worked incredibly hard despite the intense heat and fire to protect Somerset House from further damage,” said Assistant Commissioner Foster.
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“The teams will remain on site until tomorrow and carry out further operations.”
