Fire damages art at Somerset House

LONDON – A fire erupted Saturday in the roof of Somerset House, a prominent arts venue in central London, but fortunately, priceless artworks by renowned artists such as Monet, Cezanne, and Van Gogh remained unharmed. Firefighters responded swiftly to the blaze, which was first reported around noon, and worked diligently to control the flames and heavy smoke that were visible from the historic building. By early evening, crews were still on-site, extinguishing the last remnants of the fire. Keeley Foster, assistant commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, noted that the age and design of Somerset House posed challenges for the firefighting teams. A 63-meter ladder was deployed to reach the flames, and fire breaks were created in the roof to prevent further spread. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, but officials confirmed that there were no injuries among staff or the public, and the artworks were located away from the affected area. The incident led to the cancellation of a scheduled breakdancing event at the venue, which was set to celebrate the sport's debut at the upcoming Paris Olympics. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured that the west wing, where the fire occurred, primarily housed offices and back-of-house facilities, with no artworks present. Somerset House, a neoclassical structure reconstructed nearly 250 years ago, has a rich history dating back to its original construction in 1547. The venue is adjacent to The Courtauld Gallery, which is expected to reopen on Sunday following the incident.