Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters tackled a blaze in the sub-basement of a hotel in Harrington Gardens, South Kensington.
The fire damaged a timber pallet, fluorescent lighting and electrical cables in the service tunnel of the hotel. Around 500 people left the building before the Brigade arrived. There were no reports of any injuries.
Station Officer Thomas Wolfe, who was at the scene, said: “When crews arrived there was a lot smoke and a large number of people had been evacuated, which made the scene look quite dramatic. The fire was actually contained to a pallet in the service corridor but due to where it was located in the sub-basement crews worked hard and quickly to reach it and stop it from spreading.”
The cause of the fire is believed to be caused by unsafe disposal of a cigarette.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "It’s vitally important that people make sure cigarettes are put out and disposed of properly. Our crews attend numerous fires caused by cigarettes that have been carelessly discarded."
The Brigade was called at 2031 and the fire was under control by 2133. Fire crews from Kensington, Fulham, and Hammersmith Fire Stations attended the incident.