Cause of blaze that ripped through Chiltern Firehouse hotel revealed

A fire that tore through a luxury London hotel set to host a star-studded Bafta party was caused by wood falling from a pizza oven.

The blaze broke out at the Chiltern Firehouse in Chiltern Street, Marylebone on Valentine’s Day and caused substantial damage.

It spread via the ducting, damaging parts of the ground floor and half of the second floor and destroying the third floor and roof, London Fire Brigade said.

Around 100 people were evacuated from the hotel and restaurant, which ishoused in a converted Victorian fire station. No injuries were reported.

Netflix had been due to host a Bafta Film Awards after-party at the four star-hotel last night, but moved the event to The Twenty Two, a luxury hotel in Mayfair’s Grosvenor Square.

The fire service said the blaze was starting accidentally ‘by burning wood falling from a pizza oven and igniting the void between the basement and ground floor’.

Photos and video taken at the scene showed bright orange flames engulfing the top of the building while being doused by fire officers from a crane.

London Brigade assistant commissioner Paul McCourt, said: ‘Crews worked incredibly hard for over eight hours in arduous conditions.

‘Presented with a complex fire in a historically significant building, formerly Manchester Square Fire Station, firefighters successfully contained the fire, preventing it from spreading to neighbouring properties.’

Around 125 firefighters attended using 20 fire engines.

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