A blaze that swept through a high-end London hotel popular among celebrities was ignited by wood that fell from a pizza oven.
The Chiltern Firehouse, located in Marylebone, had been set to host a celebration following the Bafta Film Awards on Sunday night when it suffered significant damage from the fire on February 14.
According to the London Fire Brigade, the flames spread throughout the four-story hotel in central London through ductwork, affecting areas of the ground floor and damaging half of the second floor, while completely destroying the third floor and the roof.
The fire department clarified that the incident was an accident caused by wood igniting after falling from a pizza oven, which triggered a fire in the space between the basement and ground floor.
This five-star establishment in Marylebone, which dates back to the 1880s, was previously a fire station.
Assistant Commissioner Paul McCourt of the London Brigade stated, “Our teams battled tirelessly for more than eight hours under challenging conditions.”
He added, “Facing a complex fire in a building of historical significance, previously known as Manchester Square Fire Station, firefighters effectively contained the blaze, stopping it from spreading to adjacent buildings.”
Approximately 100 individuals were evacuated, and fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
Over 120 firefighters and 20 fire engines were dispatched to tackle the emergency.
