A major fire broke out early Sunday morning at Kensington Roof Gardens, a private members’ club popular with celebrities, in west London. The blaze started at 12:57 a.m. on the sixth floor of a high-rise office building on Derry Street, just off High Street Kensington.
Around 80 firefighters and 12 fire engines from Kensington, Hammersmith, Chelsea, and nearby stations responded to the emergency. The flames raged for over two and a half hours before being brought under control at 3:36 a.m. Specialist equipment, including a 32-metre turntable ladder, was used to access the rooftop bar and provide the incident commander with an aerial view.
The sky above Kensington was lit bright orange as thick smoke poured from the rooftop garden bar, highlighting the intensity of the fire. Streets around the building were cordoned off, and hoses snaked across pavements as crews continued securing the area.
No injuries have been reported so far, and the London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched. A receptionist from one of the offices below said employees had to wait outside in the cold until around 6 a.m. before being allowed back inside.
The Kensington Roof Gardens is a £250-a-month private club known for its celebrity visitors and exclusive events. Dramatic photos and videos of the fire were shared by the LFB on social media, showing the scale of the blaze and the rapid response by emergency services.
