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Xinhua News Agency, London, August 17 (Reporter Zheng Bofei) A fire broke out in Somerset House, a landmark building in London, England, on August 17. The London Fire Brigade announced that evening that the accident had not caused any casualties and the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

The news said that the fire department received a report of the fire at 11:59 local time and the fire was under control at 18:51 local time. A total of 125 firefighters and 20 fire trucks were dispatched to participate in the firefighting.

The fire broke out on part of the roof of the building, and the age and design of the building posed a challenge to the rescue work, said Keely Foster, deputy commander of the London Fire Brigade, who was in charge of the scene. Firefighters will continue to be stationed until tomorrow.

Video footage posted on social media showed smoke visible on the roof of the building.

Jonathan Rickey from the Somerset House Trust said the fire broke out in the west wing of the building, an area that is mainly offices and back-office facilities and "no artworks are stored in that area".

Somerset House is a large building in central London, dating back to the 16th century. It is now used as a gallery and houses the famous painting "Self-Portrait after Cutting Off the Ear" by Vincent Van Gogh.