Fire at Helios Building at former BBC Television Centre in White City

About 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines battled a large blaze in the nine storey Helios Building at the former BBC Television Centre on Wood Lane in White City in the early hours of Saturday, prompting evacuations and the closure of the road. Emergency services were first alerted shortly after 3am, and crews remained at the scene through the morning as thick smoke rose over west London.

The London Fire Brigade said the fire is affecting floors towards the top of the mixed use building, with a restaurant, external decking and ducting alight. The blaze has potentially affected an unknown number of flats and, in some accounts, television studio space within the complex. The Helios Building contains residential apartments, a gym and a 47 bedroom hotel, according to information from the site.

Crews from Hammersmith, North Kensington, Kensington, Chiswick and surrounding fire stations were mobilised. Two 32 metre turntable ladders were deployed as water towers to tackle the flames from height, and the brigade's drone team was providing the incident commander with aerial situational awareness. The London Fire Brigade said it expected to remain on site throughout the day.