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Fire breaks out at former BBC headquarters in London

The building now houses a restaurant and several homes.

Firefighters tackle a blaze at the former headquarters of the BBC in London. (Photo courtesy London Fire Brigade)
Firefighters tackle a blaze at the former headquarters of the BBC in London. (Photo courtesy London Fire Brigade)

A fire at the former headquarters of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) drew more than 100 firefighters to the London building early Saturday morning.

The fire broke out at a restaurant along the top floors of the building, which was known as Television Centre and housed the main offices and studios of the BBC until 2013.

The building now occupies a restaurant and several homes. The fire that ignited on Saturday was contained to the restaurant, according to information from fire officials.

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Fifteen fire engines and more than 100 firefighters were dispatched to the scene. Wood Lane, which runs adjacent to the building, was closed to traffic.

The cause of the fire was not known as of Saturday morning. No injuries or deaths were reported.

The BBC relocated all of its operations from Television Centre to Broadcasting House between 2007 and 2013. The move was intended to address a projected £2 billion (around U.S. $2.7 billion) funding shortfall brought on by lower revenue from the country’s mandated tax on residential and business television sets.

In 2001, Television Centre made international headlines after a car bomb was detonated outside the building. A terrorist organization called the Real IRA claimed responsibility for the attack. A warning issued to the BBC before the blast allowed for the company to evacuate its personnel and transmit news from another location; the bomb detonated when a police robot failed to disarm it.

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is the award-winning founder and editor of TheDesk.net, an authoritative voice on broadcast and streaming TV, media and tech. With over ten years of experience, he's a recognized expert in broadcast, streaming, and digital media, with work featured in publications such as StreamTV Insider and Digital Content Next, and past roles at Thomson Reuters and Disney-ABC Television Group.