London 'at risk of Notre-Dame-style blaze due to lack of fire-fighting resources'

Some of the capital’s most historic landmarks could be at risk from future fires because the London Fire Brigade lacks the resources to properly protect them, City Hall has been warned.A staggering 823 fire incidents were recorded in or within 15 metres of a heritage site in 2025, while large blazes at historic sites including Battersea Arts Centre in 2015, Grade II* listed St Mark’s Church in St John’s Wood in 2023, and Somerset House in 2024.Many of these iconic buildings were designed centuries ago and do not meet modern fire safety standards, making it difficult to protect them without damaging their character.Guidance from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) and fire heritage experts says protecting people while preserving historic buildings requires “a balanced approach, taking account of both fire safety and heritage conservation.”Professor José L. Torero, Head of Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, UCL and Fire Safety Engineer, suggested the LFB were fighting a futile battle to assess every heritage building across the capital.Firefighters tackle a fire at the Battersea Arts Centre in south London on March 13, 2015AFP/Getty“It is not possible that they can provide this service with the resources that they have,” he told the London Assembly Fire Committee.“They are trying the best they can – but the reality is also that the level of complexity and uniqueness of these buildings, it is most likely going to escape their level of expertise.“You are talking about buildings, you know, like the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Abbey that require, you know, the highest level of expertise.“Pretending that a small group within the LFB, with the modest capacity they have to elevate their training, can handle a problem of that nature, is actually like trying to cover the sun with your hands.”Charles Harris, National Fire Adviser, Historic England, suggested that the fire service’s limited resources means they are, naturally, looking at buildings which would present a risk to life if caught on fire, such as care homes and hospitals.Read MoreHe said that “…for landmark heritage builds, it’s going to be a longer period before you get an order.”Professor Torero also warned that “not much has changed” in London since the Notre-Dame Cathedral fire in Paris in 2019, despite the ominous warning that incident presented.“Even the way in which the investigation was handled for the Notre Dame fire was very cloaked,” he said.Smoke billows as flames burn through the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in 2019AFP/Getty Images“That there was no appetite to have a real open and public understanding of what the problems were and so I think very little was learned about it, and I don’t see that there’s been any significant changes happening afterwards.”Most of the time, he said, heritage buildings are treated “just like conventional buildings”, with decisions made without considering how to refurb and retrofit the building safely.He added: “Generally, we don’t necessarily identify the weak points that can result in in a disaster.”An LFB spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Prevention is by far the best way to protect London’s historic and culturally significant buildings, and we continue to work closely with owners, occupiers and partner agencies to reduce fire risk and improve resilience across the capital’s heritage estate.“Through our dedicated heritage work, fire safety officers engage with those responsible for historic buildings to promote effective fire safety measures, share specialist guidance and encourage robust emergency and salvage planning. We also carry out familiarisation visits and salvage exercises at heritage sites to ensure firefighters are prepared to respond effectively should an incident occur.Some 125 firefighters and 20 engines helped to tackle the blaze at Somerset House in 2024 PA Wire“Protecting heritage buildings is a shared responsibility involving building owners, those responsible for managing premises, local authorities and fire and rescue services. We welcome any measures that help strengthen the protection of these important buildings for future generations.“We continue to keep our resources, training and priorities under regular review to ensure they remain aligned with risk and demand, including the needs of heritage sites across London. As part of our ongoing emergency planning, we encourage building managers to maintain up-to-date salvage plans which identify priority actions and items that should be protected or recovered in the event of a fire.”