Around 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines on Saturday tackled a blaze at London’s historic Somerset House. The arts venue said “all staff and public are safe”, and that the building had been closed following the fire on the Strand in central London on Saturday afternoon. The cause of the fire, which was first reported just before midday, was not known.
London Ambulance Service urged people to avoid the area, and told local businesses to keep their windows and doors closed.
Somerset House said on social media: “Somerset House is currently closed due to a fire which has broken out in one small part of the building. 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.”
A spokesman for London Fire Brigade said: “Crews are tackling flames located in part of the building’s roof. Two of the brigade’s 32m ladders have been sent to the scene to support firefighting operations. The entire site at Somerset House is now closed to the public whilst we tackle the fire. Traffic in the surrounding area will be impacted as crews respond. The cause of the fire is not yet known.”
The Courtauld Gallery, located in the north wing of Somerset House, is home to a collection of famous paintings including Vincent van Gogh’s 1889 self-portrait of himself with a bandaged ear. The gallery also houses works by Edouard Manet, Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne.
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 gallery. He told PA: “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.”