Chiltern Firehouse, a well-known celebrity hotspot located in London, will remain closed indefinitely following a fire that necessitated the evacuation of roughly 100 individuals on Friday afternoon.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) reported that 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines responded to the incident at the restaurant and luxury hotel situated on Chiltern Street in Marylebone after an emergency call was received at 2:52 PM.
The blaze ignited on the ground floor of the Grade II-listed structure, once one of London’s first purpose-built fire stations, and it rapidly spread to the second and third floors as well as the roof.
After raging for six hours, a firefighter at the scene remarked that it was “totally under control,” indicating that the four-story hotel would likely require extensive refurbishment.
André Balazs, the proprietor of Chiltern Firehouse, confirmed that there were no injuries resulting from the fire and stated that it was “fully contained” by 9:30 PM. He remarked, “Our guests and staff evacuated safely.”
In an official statement, the LFB noted, “Firefighters worked tirelessly for several hours under challenging conditions within a complex historic building and successfully limited the fire to a single property, thereby preventing it from spreading to adjacent structures.
“Crews will continue to monitor the site throughout the night to extinguish any remaining hotspots.”
The restaurant occupies the ground floor of the establishment, and an eyewitness mentioned being informed that the fire “began in the kitchen” before “moving upstairs.”
“The restaurant was cleared out, and there were many glamorous patrons standing outside, shivering,” the witness recalled. “They were dressed elegantly and likely did not expect to be waiting in the cold… The smell of smoke was prevalent outside, but I didn’t see any flames.”
Another eyewitness, who works in the vicinity, reported seeing “the entire street filled with smoke.”
“It was incredibly thick smoke, and it seeped into the other street as well… Visibility was terrible,” Guy Fischman, a 23-year-old from Richmond, told PA.
By 5 PM, he noted that the road was closed off due to the number of fire engines attending to the fire.
“The fire definitely grew larger than anticipated. I was surprised at how big it became, especially since the fire brigade arrived relatively early,” he explained. “The whole street was cordoned off, and you could see the smoke from quite a distance… It was surreal.”
He expressed his shock at witnessing so much smoke and flames: “My coat reeked of smoke… I’ve never seen anything like that in the UK or London.”
Fire crews from various parts of London, including Euston, Kensington and Chelsea, Paddington, Soho, and West Hampstead fire stations, were dispatched to the scene.
By 5:30 PM, approximately two hours after the fire began, thick black smoke was streaming from the roof, prompting firefighters to utilize an aerial platform to direct water onto the affected area.
Footage shared on social media depicted flames at the top of the building being extinguished by firefighters on a crane, while smoke billowed out from the roof.
LFB officials indicated that a perimeter would likely remain in place overnight, restricting access to the streets surrounding the five-star hotel.
Shortly after its debut in 2014, the restaurant gained notoriety for being “the leading source of tabloid celebrity sightings,” where paparazzi eagerly awaited the arrival of stars who flocked there like moths to a flame.
The venue received a 5/10 rating for value and a 7/10 for its cuisine from reviewer Marina O’Loughlin, who described it as a place seemingly perpetually associated with Kate Moss.
Notable figures such as Bill Clinton, Bono, David Cameron, Keira Knightley, and Lindsay Lohan have been spotted at the establishment. Other iconic patrons include Madonna and Naomi Campbell.
Balazs expressed profound gratitude and appreciation for the 120 firefighters from over 14 stations who responded to the incident, noting that many of them shared a sentimental attachment to the building.
He revealed that one of the firefighters who rushed to the Chiltern Firehouse had previously been stationed there when it operated as a fire station three decades ago. “I am sincerely thankful to all of them, as I’m sure this is not how they envisioned spending their Valentine’s Day evening.”
This article was revised on 17 February 2025 to clarify previous statements regarding the origin of the fire. It has been updated with the latest information, revealing that the blaze was ignited by burning wood that fell from a pizza oven and activated a void between the basement and the ground floor.
