UPDATE - UK: Huge fire breaks out in London hotel

UPDATES WITH MORE INFORMATION

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - Dozens of firefighters rushed to tackle a blaze that broke out at a hotel building near central Hyde Park in London Wednesday afternoon.

“Around 100 firefighters are tackling a large fire at a hotel of 12 floors in Knightsbridge,” London Fire Brigade said shortly after the fire started.

Local reports said the fire broke out at Mandarin Oriental Hotel at William Street in Knightsbridge, a crowded shopping and tourist spot.

A huge area has been cordoned off by the police and vehicle traffic between Sloane Street and Hyde Park Corner has been stopped in both directions.

A later tweet from the brigade said: “We have now got 20 fire engines and around 120 firefighters (at the scene)."

Almost a year ago, a huge fire in Grenfell Tower Block in West London killed 71 people.