A fire at Somerset House in central London has been contained after around 125 firefighters were called to tackle the blaze. The venue, known for housing artworks such as Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear’ and ‘The Descent From The Cross’ by Peter Paul Rubens, saw the fire break out on the opposite side of the complex from the Courtauld Gallery.
Director of the Somerset House Trust, Jonathan Reekie, expressed confidence in the emergency services’ efforts to contain the fire to one small part of the building. The fire, which required the use of a 63-meter ladder and fire breaks in the roof to limit its spread, led to the closure of Somerset House until further notice.
Although no injuries were reported, the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The London Fire Brigade’s assistant commissioner, Keeley Foster, stated that fire crews will remain on site into Sunday.
The venue had been scheduled to host a breakdancing event to celebrate the sport’s debut at the Paris Olympics, but the event had to be canceled. Attendee Abisola Alli praised the handling of the situation, describing it as scary but managed well by emergency services. Despite the fire, the artworks at the venue remain safe, and efforts are being made to assess and repair any damage to the building.
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