Fire breaks out at London’s Somerset House, home to priceless works by Van Gogh, Cezanne
- No one was hurt and the paintings were unharmed, as firefighters extinguished the final pockets of flames at Somerset House
Priceless paintings by Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh and others were unharmed on Saturday after firefighters doused a blaze that broke out in the roof of Somerset House, a large central London arts venue, officials said.
Heavy smoke and flames seen coming from the top of the historic building around noon had been knocked down by firefighters who poured water on it from buckets on ladder trucks.
Firefighters extinguished the final pockets of flames in the early evening and were expected to be on the scene until Sunday, said Keeley Foster, assistant commissioner of the London Fire Brigade.
“The age and design of the building proved a challenge to crews as they initially responded,” Foster said.
“The fire at #SomersetHouse is now under control and investigations into the cause will begin,” the London Fire Brigade posted on social media site X.
The complex and technical response required the use of a 63-metre (205-foot) ladder to reach the flames and fire breaks had to be created in the roof to limit the spread of flames.