A large fire broke out in the early hours at the BBC's former Television Centre in White City, west London, and remained active more than 12 hours after emergency crews were first called, London Fire Brigade (LFB) said.
LFB said 15 fire engines and about 100 firefighters were deployed to the nine-storey building on Wood Lane after a blaze was reported in a restaurant beneath the building. Smoke was still billowing from the rooftop rotunda late on Saturday morning as crews used a drone to help tackle the fire. Parts of the complex, which now contains television studios, flats and eateries, were evacuated and a police cordon sealed off the plaza.
The LFB described the incident as a "complex fire" but said the cause was not yet known. Crews were still at the scene at about 15:00 BST, roughly 12 hours after the first call, working to bring the blaze under control and to make the area safe.
Nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution and a rest centre was established for people who had to leave their homes. Onlookers gathered outside the cordon and drone footage shared by the broadcaster showed dense smoke issuing from the rooftop rotunda. The Salvation Army was seen providing sandwiches to emergency workers at the scene.
Police and fire services restricted access to the immediate area while managing public safety. There were no official reports of casualties in the initial updates published by emergency services; authorities said investigations into the cause of the fire would follow once it was safe to do so.
Television Centre, a large red-brick building in White City, served as the BBC's headquarters for decades before being redeveloped into a mixed-use complex that includes working television studios, residential flats and commercial premises. The site has been the focus of regeneration projects since the BBC relocated many of its operations.
LFB officials continued to monitor hot spots and carry out firefighting and safety operations into the afternoon. The brigade and police urged members of the public to avoid the area while emergency services worked and to follow any directions from officers and firefighters on the scene.