Somerset House fire is out at last! Art chiefs confirm priceless paintings by Van Gogh, Manet, Monet and Cezanne emerge unscathed after 125 firefighters battle huge blaze that leaveas the art gallery 'closed for the foreseeable future' Firefighters rushed to scene as fire breaks out in roof of iconic arts centre By Shannon Mcguigan and Jon Brady Published: 19:48 BST, 17 August 2024 | Updated: 20:42 BST, 17 August 2024 e-mail 2 View comments Priceless artwork housed in the capital's iconic Somerset House was unscathed in a fire that ripped through the building earlier today, but the venue will remain closed 'until further notice'. The Courtauld Gallery, home to priceless artwork, including Vincent Van Gogh's 1889 self-portrait showing him with a bandaged ear and and paintings by Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne, was 'unaffected' by the blaze and will reopen to the public on Sunday. London firefighters battled for hours to contain the inferno that ripped through the building's west wing shortly before 12pm.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said it sent 20 fire engines - including specialist height appliances - and 125 firefighters to the 250-year-old building, with harrowing videos and images showing smoke pouring from the building. The director of Somerset House Trust Jonathan Reekie said there were 'no artworks' in the area where the fire broke out. He added: 'As the London Fire Brigade continue their investigations and operations, Somerset House will remain closed to the public un.