Three men are dead after a fire tore through a single-storey pavilion building on New Zealand Way in White City, west London, on Saturday evening.
The London Fire Brigade reported that the blaze broke out shortly before 19:00 BST. Firefighters rescued the men from the building, but the London Ambulance Service pronounced two of them dead at the scene. A third man was taken to a major trauma centre and later died in hospital. In total, nine people were treated at the scene, and three were transported to a trauma centre.
According to BBC News, about 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines were sent to the scene. The fire damaged just over half of the single-storey structure before crews brought it under control at 21:25. Fire crews remained at the site on Sunday afternoon, damping down remaining pockets of fire.
"Sadly, three people have died following a fire on New Zealand Way, White City," said Pat Goulbourne, assistant commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, speaking at the scene. "The fire involved a single-storey pavilion, with just over half of the structure damaged by the fire."
The building sits behind Shepherd's Church and the White City Community Centre. It is not yet clear who occupied it.
A joint investigation by the London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police is now underway. The Metropolitan Police said it was working to inform the families of the victims. Community engagement officers from the London Fire Brigade have also been deployed to the site to provide support to local residents.
