Fire breaks out at Somerset House in London as 70 firefighters battle blaze sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky
A FIRE has broken out at Somerset House in London - with 70 firefighters battling the blaze.
Footage shows thick plumes of smoke billowing from the riverside landmark this afternoon.
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters have scrambled to the Strand to fight the blaze.
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Two of the London Fire Brigade's 32m ladders have also been sent to the scene.
Somerset House is a vast Georgian building which houses the Courtauld Gallery, one of London's great art collections.
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The Courtauld boasts works by major artists including Vincent van Gogh.
The LFB's control room took the first of ten calls reporting the fire just before noon.
Crews have raced to the fire from as far afield as Soho in West End, Islington in north London and Dowgate in the City.
Traffic is building up on the roads around Somerset House, including the Strand.
In a statement, an LFB spokesperson said the cause of the fire is not yet known.
The Somerset House fountains have been turned off for the past few days to undergo works.
But the works on the fountain pumps are not thought to be related to the fire today.
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