Firefighters tackle large blaze at London's Somerset House

LONDON (Reuters) -Twenty fire engines were deployed on Saturday to tackle a blaze at London's Somerset House, home to a major art collection including works by Botticelli and Cezanne, with clouds of smoke visible across the city's skyline.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said it had sent around 125 firefighters to the scene after receiving a call just before midday on Saturday.

"Crews are tackling flames located in part of the building's roof," the LFB said in a statement, adding that the cause of the fire is not yet known.

The police said there were no reports of injuries.

Somerset House, located on the banks of the River Thames in central London, is a former royal palace and stately home and is now an arts, cultural and entertainment centre.

The Courtauld Gallery, which houses masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, is in the building's North Wing.

"Owing to a fire in one small part of Somerset House, the site is currently closed," Somerset House said in a post on X.

"London Battle (break dance event) and other events today will not take place. We apologise for any inconvenience."

The Somerset House site dates back to 1547.

It was the residence of Princess Elizabeth before she was crowned Queen Elizabeth I in 1558 and the headquarters of the Parliamentary Army from 1642 during the English Civil War, and is a former home of both the Admiralty and the Inland Revenue.

The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed much of the City of London, but stopped just short of the Somerset House site.

(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Susan Fenton, Ana Nicolaci da Costa and Jan Harvey)