Bafta After Party is thrown into chaos after venue of Chiltern Firehouse is ravaged by enormous hearth – as organisers scramble to search out some other place to host celeb bash in TWO DAYS
Netflix‘s highly anticipated Bafta afterparty has been plunged into chaos after a major fire ripped through the exclusive Chiltern Firehouse hotel in Central London – just days before the event.
Months of meticulous planning and tens of thousands of pounds have now gone up in smoke as the streaming giant is forced to find a last-minute replacement for its lavish post-awards bash.
Hollywood stars including Selena Gomez, 32, and Zoe Saldana, 46, were expected to attend the prestigious gathering, with many of Netflix’s top talent set to stay at the five-star venue.
Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park, CBE, was also due to check in ahead of the glittering Bafta ceremony on Sunday.
While earlier a source close to the situation told the Sun: ‘This is the ultimate nightmare for Netflix and organisers.
‘Every year, they spend tens of thousands to put on the biggest and best Bafta afterparty around.
‘Right now, everything hangs in the balance while they get the blaze under control and assess the damage.’
They have now confirmed that the streaming giant has been forced to urgently source a new venue 48-hours before the star-studded event this weekend.
Around 100 people were evacuated before fire crews arrived to battle the blaze at the Chiltern Firehouse
A firefighter carries a woman to safety outside Chiltern Firehouse
Netflix ‘s highly anticipated Bafta afterparty has been plunged into chaos after a major fire ripped through the exclusive Chiltern Firehouse hotel in Central London – just days before the event
Hollywood stars including Selena Gomez , 32, and Zoe Saldana , 46, were expected to attend the prestigious gathering, with many of Netflix’s top talent set to stay at the five-star venue
The fire, which broke out on Friday, quickly spread from the ground floor to the roof, forcing a mass evacuation of over 100 people from the historic Marylebone hotel and restaurant. The guest list for Netflix’s afterparty is expected to be in the hundreds, with previous years’ attendees including Ellie Goulding, Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott.
The London Fire Brigade confirmed that four fire engines and around 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines were called to the scene at 2:52pm.
Before fire crews arrived, around 100 people were evacuated from the luxury hotel, which also has a restaurant on the ground floor.
The blaze broke out just hours before Valentine’s Day dinner service in the building’s extraction system which leads from the ground floor to the roof.
A plant room on the roof level was also alight, but officials have said that the cause of the fire is not known at this stage.
In a statement, they said: ‘The ducting in the extraction system from the ground floor to the roof of the building is alight. Around 100 people were evacuated before the Brigade arrived.’
Chiltern Firehouse owner Andre Balazs expressed his gratitude to emergency crews, revealing that one of the firefighters tackling the inferno had previously been stationed in the building when it operated as a fire station 30 years ago.
Celebrity Charlie Casely Hayford pictured as people are evacuated from the perimeter of the Chiltern Firehouse
Fire crews battle to save the Chiltern firehouse
The fire has ripped through the building up to the roof
Smoke billows from the building as fire crews battle the blaze
He said: ‘Earlier this evening, a fire broke out at Chiltern Firehouse. We are grateful to confirm that no one was hurt, and our guests and staff safely evacuated. The fire has now been fully contained.’
Balazs added: ‘As of now, as this is still a live situation, we do not have confirmation of what may have caused the fire, but the fire services are investigating. In the meantime, the Chiltern Firehouse will remain closed until further notice.’
The Chiltern Firehouse is a restaurant and boutique hotel, with rooms costing as much as £5,000 per night, and occupies the Grade II listed building of the former Marylebone Fire Station.
It opened in 2013 and has 26 suites and is extremely popular with both A-list celebrities and royals.
London Fire Brigade said: ‘Twenty fire engines and around 125 firefighters have been called to a fire at a hotel on Chiltern Street in Marylebone.
‘There is a fire in ducting which leads from the ground floor to the roof of the four storey hotel with a restaurant on the ground floor. A plant room at roof level is also alight.
‘Around one hundred people have evacuated the building before the Brigade arrived.
Fire crews rushed to the celebrity hotspot after reports of a blaze
Around 100 people were evacuated from the building before fire crews arrived
The blaze broke out just hours before Valentine’s Day dinner service
The blaze started in the building’s ducting in its extraction system
Around 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines were called to the incident
‘The Brigade’s 999 Control officers were first called at 1452 and deployed fire crews from Euston, Soho, Paddington, Soho, West Hampstead, Kensington and Chelsea fire stations and are still at the scene.
‘The cause of the fire is not known at this stage.’
Metropolitan Police have confirmed they have also been called to the scene and is assisting with road closures in the area.
A member of staff arrived for work at the hotel to find it engulfed in flames. Speaking to the Metro, he said: ‘It is shocking. I just hope everyone is okay.’
While a shop worker on Chiltern Street, where the hotel is located, said: ‘The roof is fully on fire. It is really f*****d. It is not under control any more and everyone is evacuating.’
Fire crews battle the blaze at the former Marylebone Fire Station on Chiltern Street
Fire crews were first called at 2.52pm and remain on the scene
The cause of the fire is not known at this stage, say officials
The hotel was originally built in 1889
The fire has spread to the roof where a plant room is also alight
Other workers on the street described how the blaze was worsening as smoke continued to billow from the building.
A coffee shop on the street, How Matcha, gave out free hot drinks to the evacuated guests. The owner said: ‘It’s quite a sad moment not only for the building but for the community as well.’
Originally built it 1889, the building is now owned by American hotelier Mr Balazs, who also runs the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, California, and Sunset Beach Hotel on Shelter Island, New York.
Some of the hotel’s A-list customers include Madonna, Orlando Bloom, Tom Cruise, Rihanna and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were also reportedly seen sneaking into the hotel before their relationship was made public.
Just last night, the hotel hosted Brunello Cucinelli’s pre-BAFTA dinner with Hollywood stars Mark Ruffalo and Morena Baccarin seen leaving the hotel as well as English actress Ellie Bamber.
Jack Grealish was also spotted leaving the luxury hotspot shortly after midnight.
MailOnline has approached Netflix and Chiltern Firehouse for further comment.
