Trafalgar Square fire: 150 people are evacuated as 125 firefighters tackle the blaze in ‘severe’ conditions in a pub cellar in central London
- Firefighters have been called to Trafalgar Square in London to fight the city fire
- Dramatic footage shows thick black smoke from The Admiralty pub
- The number of firefighters fighting the fire has risen from 70 to 125
- Fire trucks have also doubled to 20 as crews face ‘severe’ conditions
- Police and ambulance personnel were also on the scene as smoke billowed into the air
The fire brigade has been called to London‘s Trafalgar Square, where thick black smoke was seen from a pub in the city center as people and a dog were evacuated from the building before emergency services arrived.
Police and ambulance personnel were also on the scene, joining more than 100 firefighters and 20 motorcycles as smoke billowed from The Admiralty pub, with flames pouring from the cellar.
Video footage from the area shows fire engines parked in the central London hot spot, close to the pub, just off the main square in Spring Gardens.
The number of firefighters fighting the fire at The Admiralty pub has now been increased from 70 to around 125 under ‘severe’ conditions, the London Fire Brigade said.
A further 10 motorcycles have also arrived on site, bringing the number to 20.
Station Commander Keith McDermott said: “Due to the severe, challenging and hot conditions in the basement, we have increased the number of fire engines and firefighters on site.
“About 150 people evacuated the pub and surrounding businesses before the brigade arrived. There are no reports of injuries.’
Firefighters have been called to Trafalgar Square in London after thick black smoke could be seen coming from a pub in the city center
Fiefighters hold a dog rescued from the Admiralty pub in London’s Trafalgar Square
Police and ambulance personnel were also on the scene, joining 70 firefighters and 10 motorcycles as smoke billowed from The Admiralty pub.
Firefighters stand outside The Admiralty pub, after half of the cellar caught fire
Emergency services at the scene of a fire in the cellar of the pub
A firefighter shines a torch through the thick smoke outside the pub in central London
Initially about 10 fire trucks and 70 firefighters were called in, but this was later expanded under ‘severe’ conditions to 20 fire trucks and about 125 firefighters
London Fire Brigade said on social media earlier this evening: ‘We have 10 fire engines and about 70 firefighters fighting a fire in a pub in Trafalgar Square.
‘A number of people were evacuated from the pub and surrounding businesses before the brigade arrived.’
Station commander Keith McDermott, who is on the scene, said, “Half the basement is on fire.
‘This creates a lot of traffic nuisance and we ask people to avoid the area as much as possible.’
At 8.40pm, the fire service issued a further statement, adding: ‘Constant progress is being made with the pub fire in Trafalgar Square.
“We’ll probably be there for hours. It’s a hot night, so the crews are taking in a lot of water. Please don’t think of all the firefighters dealing with fires in these circumstances.”
Other clips shared from the scene showed police officers pulling people back and extending police cordon in the area.
Emergency services were called at 5:49 p.m. It is not clear what started the fire.
The London Fire Brigade urged people to stay away from the area. One person in the area described their eyes “burning” from the smoke
A firefighter stands on a cherry picker while smoke comes out of the pub
Emergency services at the scene of the pub fire
A fire truck with an aerial platform was deployed at the central London site as 10 engines were called out
Police officers moved people back and extended the police cordon in the area
Police and ambulance personnel were also on the scene in Trafalgar Square
Fire trucks lined the road after crews were called to reports of a fire at 5:49 p.m
A fire truck outside The Admirality on Spring Gardens tonight
Thick black smoke billowed into the air over Trafalgar Square