A major fire broke out at London’s historic Somerset House on Saturday, leading to a significant emergency response. The blaze, which originated in a section of the building’s roof, prompted the deployment of 15 fire engines and around 100 firefighters. The London Fire Brigade confirmed the situation on X, formerly Twitter, stating that crews were actively tackling the fire.
The official X account of the Renaissance-era building, which opened its doors in 1796, announced the temporary closure of Somerset House due to the fire. Reassuringly, they confirmed that all staff and members of the public had been safely evacuated. Footage from central London captured thick plumes of smoke rising above the building, which stretches for an impressive 180 meters along the banks of the River Thames.
Somerset House is renowned for its diverse cultural offerings, hosting summer music concerts in its courtyard and a popular ice rink during the winter months. The building has also made appearances in several notable films, including the 2003 romantic comedy ‘Love Actually,’ the 2008 period drama ‘The Duchess,’ starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes, and Tim Burton’s 1999 horror film ‘Sleepy Hollow.’
The fire service deployed two 32-meter ladders to the scene to aid firefighting efforts. They also announced the closure of the entire Somerset House site to the public while crews worked to extinguish the fire, anticipating traffic disruptions in the surrounding area due to the emergency response.
