Blaze at Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge
Plumes of smoke billowed from the 12-storey five-star luxury Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge, London, after firefighters were called just before 16:00. 120 firefighters and 20 engines were deployed to the scene in William Street according to London Fire Brigade. The cause of fire is not known. Both Ambulance service and the Met Police are also attending the scene. 36 hotel guests including singer Robbie Williams and 250 hotel staff were evacuate with no causalities. The fire started on the 5th floor and spread to several floors above. Across “a vertical façade containing plants.
The international hotel chain recently completed an 18 month £185m ( $248m) renovation work on the 115-year-old hotel unveiled its new look last Thursday on May 31, 2018, “designed to confirm this historic hotel’s position as one of the best in the world.” The transformation of all 181 bedrooms and public areas to its original splendour, taking inspiration from its royal heritage was led by Joyce Wang, an award winning interior design practice who specialises in luxury interiors and Adam D Tihany, who oversaw the refurbishment including the hotel’s SPA with its 13 individual treatment rooms and Oriental Suite with two massage beds and a Rasul water temple, a room designed for Chinese medicine consultations and treatments, a mani-pedi studio and two “ beauty rooms”
Several neighbouring buildings including Harvey Nichols have been evacuated, with Knightsbridge closed between Sloane Street and Grosvenor Place .
The Mandarin Oriental hotel is famous for its ritzy clientele, including the British and Middle Eastern Royal families, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson, Jilly Cooper, The Rolling Stones, Ronnie Wood, Morgan Freeman, Lily Allen and several others. The newly built penthouse which has three bedroom and its own private terrace has been scheduled to open in July 2018. The 181 room hotel with rates starting from £600 a night.
The Mandarin Oriental hotel chain, which has headquarters in Hong Kong, has hotels in major cities like New York, Paris, Tokyo and Singapore.
This building was first hit by a major fire in 1899, which saw part of its roof destroyed and the top three floors badly gutted as flames forced the building to be shut down for three years and it reopened in 1902.