Visitors of London have been warned about an unfortunate fire incident that happened at the famous Somerset House; over one hundred firefighters were deployed to suppress the fire.

Thick smoke was rising from the top of a very old building one could see from most parts of central London. Cranes are currently in operation and firefighters are engaged in combating the fire from the aerial platform.

Somerset House started in the 1500s was redone in the 1700s, and was once the headquarters for the Royal Navy. Presently it boasts of many cultural activities and it is traditionally used as a venue for artistic shows and performances. It owns such artwork as a portrait of Van Gogh with a bandaged ear painted by the artist himself and exhibited in the Courtauld Gallery found in the compound.

Somerset House Trust’s Director, Jonathan Reekie, told PA Media that the fire started in the west wing where most offices are located and where some of the back-of-house workings are normally conducted. At least, there are no artworks stored in this sector of the building.

The London Fire Brigade stated that around 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines have been helped to the Somerset House fire scene. They are focusing on a fire that is from one part of the roof of the building and has deployed two 32-meter (just under 105 feet) turntable ladders to fight the fire.

At this point, the actual cause of the fire is something of an unknown. Somerset House area had to be evacuated due to the fire; the building was closed to the public as emergency responders struggled to contain the fire.

The architectural history of Somerset House started when it was built by Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset in 1547. It was constructed as a palace and then after Seymour was executed in the Tower of London, it became the property of the Crown. The construction of the building had been the scene of many important events in history, for instance, the signing of the Treaty of London in 1604 that called for the end of the Anglo-Spanish war. It has been used as an official residence, as was the case during the English Civil War when it was home to the parliamentary army, and came close to being burnt down in the Great Fire of London in 1666.

Today, Somerset House is not only a cultural landmark but also serves as a popular filming location for movies and TV shows like ‘Downton Abbey,’ ‘Love Actually,’ and ‘X-Men: First Class. One of the portions of the building is for the School of Law of Kings College London strategically located at the east wing.

 A dance battle event was planned for the building on Saturday where there were planned to be showcases, workshops, and live DJs, along with an outdoor event where the final Battle of the Boroughs was to take place. However, due to the fire incident, Somerset House put a statement on its website informing the public that everyone is safe from the staff to those who were in the premises during the incident. Continuing the statement, it was added that the London Fire Brigade acted instantly, and they are cooperating with other emergency services to contain the fire.

At the moment, Somerset House is still inaccessible as the firefighters go on with their duties.