Dozens of Firemen Battle London Hotel Fire

London Hotel Fire (Photo Credit: BBC)

About 120 firefighters deployed to tackle the Fire that broke out at London’s Mandarin Oriental hotel on Tuesday, pumping  thick smoke high into the air over the British capital.

The fire brigade has disclosed that the fire on the roof of the 12-storey hotel in Knightsbridge, a luxury area of central London where Harrods department store is also located had called for the efforts of dozens of firemen and 20 fire engines to tackle the fire from the roof top of the building.

The fire service stated that the cause of the fire was still unknown, as the fire was “producing a lot of smoke” and was “very visible”.

Firefighters were called to the fire at 1455 GMT.

“We are aware that there is a fire at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, and that the fire brigade is at the hotel,”

“As the situation is still unfolding, we have no further details to share at this time, but will provide an update soon”. a hotel spokesman said.

A busy junctions and roads were closed off at Scotch Corner and Hyde Park Corner near the hotel, an Edwardian-style building that opened its doors in 1902 and was bought by Mandarin Oriental in 1996.

At the request of the emergency services, Transport for London, which manages the city’s public transport system, said an entrance to Knightsbridge Underground station had been closed.

A TV presenter, Anna Whiteley, in a tweet revealed that she was evacuated from the hotel.

“Just evacuated Mandarin Oriental hotel to see this… absolutely crazy! So impressed by the organisation in bringing everyone to safety,” she wrote on Twitter.

According to Punch, the London Ambulance Service said had sent “a number of resources” to the scene of the incident.