Fire hits Swiss Cottage offices

SWISS COTTAGE was in turmoil yesterday as offices were evacuated just minutes after the library was shut down. Workers including Ham&High journalists were ordered out of the six-storey building at 100 Avenue Road when smoke was seen coming from the baseme

SWISS COTTAGE was in turmoil yesterday as offices were evacuated just minutes after the library was shut down.

Workers including Ham&High journalists were ordered out of the six-storey building at 100 Avenue Road when smoke was seen coming from the basement.

The fire evacuation came just moments after a stabbing in Swiss Cottage library around 2pm, which forced library users onto the streets as well.

A fire officer at the scene said a cigarette butt could have been to blame.

"It's the curse of the smoker," he said. "It looks like someone has thrown their cigarette to the ground and not extinguished it. With these high winds, it's been blown into a gap at the bottom of the building.