An estate agency branch in London has been closed after suffering significant fire damage following an explosion at the rear of the property.
The incident took place at 8pm on Tuesday night behind the Hampton Hill offices of seven-branch SW London estate agency chain Chase Buchanan.
It runs both a high street sales and lettings operation but also its residential concierge service out of the premises.
A spokesperson for the company told The Negotiator that no staff were injured during the incident but that its branch will be closed while the building is made safe and repairs are completed.
The London Fire Brigade were called to the scene after an electrical fire broke out in the kitchen extension of an apartment to the rear of the property.
Loud boom
Eyewitnesses reported that this is suspected to have in turn led to gas services being breached which caused an explosion and it is this that has severely damaged the building and caused widespread fire damage.
One local resident reported that “lights flickered for a few minutes, then [there was] a boom from outside”.
The road adjacent to the branch was covered in rubble from a collapsed wall to the side of the branch.
Following the fire up to 30 people living in the area were evacuated and two roads were closed until the fire was put out.
Photo: Karen Bates
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