LONDON — More than 125 firefighters worked to put out a fire Saturday at Somerset House, a large art gallery in central London that contains priceless works by Monet, Cezanne and Van Gogh.
Heavy smoke and flames that could be seen coming from the roof by lunchtime had been extinguished a few hours later when firefighters poured water on it from the buckets of ladder trucks. Video footage showed flames had burned a hole in the roof of the building next to the River Thames.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, according to the London Fire Brigade.
Somerset House said staff and the public were safe and that artwork was not in the area of the fire. The venue had been scheduled to host a breakdancing event.
“A fire was discovered at midday in a corner of the west wing, the site was immediately evacuated and the London Fire Brigade called, who arrived very quickly,” said Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust. “The west wing is mainly offices and back-of-house facilities, there are no artworks in that area.”
The fire was on the opposite side of the large complex from The Courtauld Gallery which contains works such as Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear’ and ‘The Descent From The Cross’ by Peter Paul Rubens.
The neoclassical building was reconstructed almost 250 years ago after the original Somerset House was demolished after falling into neglect.
The original palace was built in 1547 by Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, who was later executed in the Tower of London.
Queen Elizabeth I lived in the palace as a princess for five years before ascending to the throne.