LONDON: Around 120 fire firefighters were deployed to a fire at Somerset House in central London on Saturday.

 “Crews are tackling flames located in part of the building’s roof,” the London Fire Brigade said in a statement, adding that the cause of the blaze is not yet known.

Somerset House, located on the banks of the River Thames, was once a royal palace and is now an arts, cultural and entertainment center.

Other footage taken from central London showed thick plumes of smoke rising above the building, which stretches for around 180 metres along the banks of the River Thames.

The official X account of the Renaissance building, which opened in 1796, said that “owing to a fire in one small part of Somerset House, the site is currently closed,” but then appeared to delete the post.

The courtyard of the grand building hosts music gigs in the summer, and a popular ice rink in the winter, appearing in the 2003 film “Love Actually”.

It has also appeared in two James Bond films, the 2008 movie “The Duchess”, starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes, and Tim Burton’s 1999 horror flick “Sleepy Hollow