BUILDING BLAZE Fire breaks out at Somerset House in London as 125 firefighters battle blaze sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky
A FIRE has broken out at Somerset House - with 125 firefighters battling the blaze.
Footage shows thick plumes of smoke billowing from the roof of the London landmark this afternoon.
Twenty fire engines and around 125 firefighters have scrambled to the Strand to fight the blaze in part of the building's roof.
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Two of the London Fire Brigade's 32m ladders have also been sent to the scene.
Footage shows firefighters blasting water from the top of one of the ladders onto the building's roof.Somerset House is a vast Georgian building which houses the Courtauld Gallery, one of London's great art collections.
The Courtauld boasts works by major artists including Vincent van Gogh.
Nobody is currently thought to be inside the Somerset House building and there are no reported injuries, Scotland Yard said.
Cops were called at 12.25pm and have joined firefighters at the building near Waterloo BridgeSomerset House is a vast Georgian building which houses the Courtauld Gallery, one of London's great art collections.
The Courtauld boasts works by major artists including Vincent van Gogh.
Nobody is currently thought to be inside the Somerset House building and there are no reported injuries, Scotland Yard said.
Cops were called at 12.25pm and have joined firefighters at the building near Waterloo Bridge.The LFB's control room took the first of ten calls reporting the fire just before noon.
Crews have raced to the fire from as far afield as Soho in West End, Islington in north London and Dowgate in the City.
Traffic is building up on the roads around Somerset House, including the Strand.
In a statement, an LFB spokesperson said the cause of the fire is not yet known.
Somerset House said: "Owing to a fire in one small part of Somerset House, the site is currently closed.
"All staff and public are safe and the site is closed. The London Fire Brigade arrived swiftly.
"We’re working very closely with them to control the spread of the fire.
"London Battle and other events today will not take place. We apologise for any inconvenience."The Somerset House fountains have been turned off for the past few days to undergo works.
But the works on the fountain pumps are not currently thought to be related to the fire today.
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