Fire engines at Somerset House in central London © The Art Newspaper
The Courtauld Gallery has reopened following a fire that broke out on the roof of Somerset House over the weekend. No one was injured in the central London blaze, and the gallery has since confirmed that neither the building nor its collection was affected.
The Courtauld houses masterpieces by Van Gogh, Manet and Cézanne and is based in the north wing of Somerset House. It is not yet known how much damage was done to the historic building, but Somerset House Trust director Jonathan Reekie has said that there were no artworks in the impacted area.
Around 125 firefighters and 15 fire engines battled the blaze, which broke out around midday on Saturday (17 August), at the historic building on the Strand, according to a statement posted by the London Fire Brigade. The causes of fire are now being examined. Numerous business and companies occupy the site, which has become a key arts hub in the capital.
Assistant Commissioner Keeley Foster, who was at the scene, said in a statement: "The fire was located in part of the building’s roof space. The age and design of the building proved a challenge for crews as they initially responded. As a result, four of the Brigade’s aerial ladders, including a 64 metre turntable ladder, were deployed to support firefighters as they carried out a complex and technical response. This included creating fire breaks in the roof, which has now limited the spread of flames."
Somerset House has closed while the fire brigade battles the blaze © The Art Newspaper
Somerset House posted on X on Saturday: "All staff and public are safe and the site is closed. The London Fire Brigade arrived swiftly and we’re working very closely with them to control the spread of the fire."
The Courtauld Gallery of Art reopened in November 2021 following a four-year refurbishment. The restored and expanded complex houses a plethora of new galleries and spaces with backing from major sponsors including the luxury conglomerate LVMH and the Ukrainian-born billionaire Leonard Blavatnik.
© The Art Newspaper
Somerset House was built on the site of a Tudor palace, once owned by the Duke of Somerset. The current structure was initiated by King George III around 1776 to house various government offices. The Courtauld moved to its current premises at Somerset House in 1989; prior to the move, the institution was spread across several buildings at Portman Square with some of the collection on display at the Warburg Institute. In November 2021, the gallery reopened after a four-year refurbishment.
UPDATE 21 AUGUST: Somerset House announced yesterday (20 August) that artists and creatives based in the building's New Wing had begun to return to work as part of a phased reopening. A statement published on Instagram confirmed that those based in the West and South Wing's will return as soon as possible, and that the exhibition The Lore of LOVERBOY would reopen to the public on Saturday 24 August.
The statement went on to confirm that the recent fire was confined to one part of the building, and that London Fire Brigade's work on site had been completed. An investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing.
