Massive Fire Rips Through Offices on Strand-On-The-Green

Blaze hits offices of media agency representing local celebrities

Picture: Julian Pavey

A riverside office complex in Chiswick was hit by fire in the early hours of Sunday morning (17 January) with over seventy fire fighters and ten fire engines called to the scene. Residents of nearby homes needed to be evacuated from the area.

Pier House is the home of the James Grant Media group an agency which represents a number of local celebrities including Ant and Dec and Clare Balding. The Thomas Pocklington Trust is also based there.

The footpath remained closed off to pedestrians today, with shattered glass on the ground. The upstairs windows of the building are all shattered. The adjacent Cafe Rouge is also closed, but this is for renovations and not connected to the fire.

The scene today (monday)

Fire fighters battle the blaze on Strand-on-the-Green. Picture: Yvonne Baker

The first floor and roof of the building were badly affected by the blaze.

Station Manager Carl St Paul who was at the scene said: "Our crews worked extremely hard in challenging conditions to get this fire under control and to stop it from spreading to neighbouring properties. Thankfully no-one was inside the office building when the fire broke out but around 12 people from homes close by were evacuated during the incident as a precaution."

 
Chiswick Buzz's report from the scene of the fire

London Ambulance Service treated a man at the scene for a non-fire related illness.

The Brigade was called at 12.18am and the fire was under control by 4.30am. At Sunday lunch-time, Strand-on-the-Green remains closed to traffic.

Crews from Acton, Chiswick, Richmond, Heston, Ealing, Kingston, Kensington, Southall and Hammersmith fire stations attended the incident. An aerial ladder platform and turntable ladder were also called on to the fire to fight the blaze from above.

Sad times. Massive fire destroying Pier House, Strand-on-the-Green @ChiswickW4 pic.twitter.com/olhOwcXGFw

— Emma Shannon (@EmShannon20) January 17, 2016

Firefighters will remain at the scene for some time this morning damping down the fire. The cause is under investigation.

The James Grant Media group issued a statement saying, "Firstly, thankfully no one was hurt. Secondly, our sincere thanks go out to the emergency services who attended the site. They did an outstanding job of controlling the fire and limiting the damage as much as possible. We are now working hard to be fully functional as soon as possible."

The building hit by the fire should not be confused with Chiswick Pier House home of the Chiswick Pier Trust.

January 18, 2016