Business men and women were evacuated from the City of London this afternoon after a fire broke out in a restaurant underneath offices.
Dramatic images of the blaze showed plumes of smoke billowing out of the building located just a stone’s throw away from the Bank of England on Lothbury.
Video footage showed those working in the capital’s renowned finance district hurrying away from the fire as emergency services rushed to the scene.
London Fire Brigade sent four huge engines along with 25 firefighters to charge into the building and calm the fire that broke out at around 4pm this afternoon.
The incident, which took place close to St Paul’s Cathedral, is thought to have broke out in a ground floor restaurant.
An evacuation is taking place in the City of London after a restaurant kitchen beneath a building of offices caught on fire
Business men and women evacuated to near the Bank of England after a building on Lothbury went up in flames
London Fire Brigade on the scene as a fire breaks out at a restaurant on Lothbury in the City of London
London Fire Brigade on the scene as a fire breaks out at a restaurant on Lothbury
It is unclear which restaurant the fire began in and which companies were affected.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said: ‘Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters are responding to a fire at a restaurant with offices above on Lothbury in City of London.
‘The ground-floor kitchen was partially alight. The Brigade’s 999 Control Officers have taken over 10 calls to the fire. The Brigade was first called at 3.47pm.
‘Crews from Shoreditch, Dockhead, Shadwell and surrounding fire stations are in attendance at the scene.’
This is a breaking news story. More follows.
