The Chiltern Firehouse Hotel and Restaurant in Marylebone, Central London, owned by Andre Balazs, caught a massive fire from the kitchen’s extraction system on Friday, February 14th, 2025. The Emergency services rushed to the scene after receiving a 999 call at 2:52 pm (local time).
The London Fire Brigade deployed 125 firefighters and 20 fire trucks to subdue the fire. They successfully extinguished the fire at 9:30 pm (local time).
The London Fire Brigade reported that the fire first started at ground level before it spread to the higher floors and finally to the roof of the four-story building. They ensured public safety and stated that firefighters will remain on the scene to face any leftover hotspots.
Witnesses, who were around the place at the time of the incident, said that the entire hotel and surrounding area was filled with thick black smoke, resulting in poor visibility and a pungent smell.
The heavily affected areas of the building included the rooftop and the third floor, with minor damage found on the ground floor. According to one of the firefighters, the damage will need extensive renovations which may take some time.
According to the police, it is still under investigation as to how the fire started. Apart from this, the building was all set to host a Netflix party for the upcoming BAFTA Awards but has now closed until further notice.
Andre Balazs, the owner of Chiltern Firehouse, stated that he is glad that nobody was injured in the fire and that the guests and employees safely evacuated before anyone could be injured.
He also appreciated the commitment of the 120 firefighters, who came into action during the emergency from 14 different stations and helped stop the fire from spreading further.
Footage of the fire is going viral on social media that captures the fire engulfing the top of the building as firefighters attempt to contain it by spraying water over the building using an aerial platform.
