Covent Garden Fire

Sad day for Covent Garden as huge blaze destroys homes and Victorian warehouse building.

A fire broke out around 19:45 on Thursday 2nd September 1999 in the western part of the Seven Dials Warehouse, 44 Earlham Street, Covent Garden. Large clouds of very thick, black smoke were seen coming out from the 4th floor at 20:00 hrs. Although a number of fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles were in attendance quite soon, the fire spread rapidly through the dry, old 5-storey building which was in use as small offices, film and video studios and workshops. The entire building was evacuated, including the Covent Garden Community Centre and Belgo Centraal restaurant on the ground floor and basement. The building was a renovated former Woodyard brewery warehouse building.

Very dense, breath-taking, heavy black and grey smoke filled Seven Dials and Mercer Street. The fire raged immediately adjacent to 8 residential flats, one of which is home to a family with young children. By 22:00 hrs the Warehouse was burning so heavily that gigantic 2-storey high flames were visible above the Cambridge Theatre at Seven Dials. The fire was so hot that people standing outside the police cordon by Oddbins at Seven Dials felt the enormous heat. Large clouds of dark smoke full with glowing red-hot embers and ash were blown into Seven Dials and Mercer Street, fuelling fears for further fires in nearby buildings.

Fire engines from all over London were involved in the operation or were on stand-by in the surrounding streets. A quick count in the streets between Drury Lane and Shaftesbury Avenue revealed at least 20 pump or ladder vehicles and a number of rescue command units and control vehicles.

Local residents were among the first to be on the scene. Many of the residents and small businesses in the Warehouse and the adjoining flats are well-known locally. One nearby local resident immediately made floor plans of the Warehouse building available to the emergency services to assist in the fire-fighting. Many residents telephoned each other to make sure everyone was safe and to offer help with evacuating or looking after small children. Others could see the huge flames from as far away as Drury Lane and Newton Street and tried to find out whether any friends were affected or help was needed.

The streets surrounding the area were lined with fire engines, Police cars and private cars belonging to off-duty fire fighters, who had been alerted at home and had come to help get the blaze under control.

At 01:00 hrs on Friday morning the streets around Seven Dials are cordoned off and covered in ash and burnt remains. Fire engines are still pumping large amounts of water onto the building, with smoke still emerging from time to time. All surrounding streets are completely sealed off by the Police whilst fire brigade ladders are still towering over the Warehouse and adjacent buildings with spotlights and water canons.

The local community is devastated. Local families have lost their home, local companies have lost their workspace, stock and archives. A fine, Victorian warehouse building has been lost. The adjacent listed buildings are badly damaged. This fire marks one of the Seven Dials area's most depressing days since WW2.

 

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