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Shoppers flee as fire engulfs flagship store on Oxford Street
Last updated at 10:22am on 27.04.07More than 150 firefighters battled through the night as a huge blaze engulfed one of Oxford Street's busiest stores.
Hundreds of shoppers had to be evacuated and traffic was brought to a standstill for several hours as New Look's London flagship shop went up in flames.
Fire crews worked through the night to battle the blaze
There were fears today that the whole building might have to be demolished because of the scale of the damage.
About 30 engines were brought in from eight stations across the capital to contain the fire, which broke out in offices above the clothing store east of Oxford Circus.
Buildings surrounding the five-storey block of flats were evacuated. There were no reports of casualties.
Witnesses said windows above the shop exploded as the flames ripped through the building, showering glass on terrified customers as they fled the store.
A fire service spokeswoman said crews were called to the blaze at 6.53pm. They arrived to find four floors alight and there were fears that at least one person may have been trapped inside.
Malik Khan, 44, who owns a souvenir shop opposite New Look, said: "I heard screams and shouts and ran out into the street. People were pouring out of New Look. Many of them were screaming and having to dodge large pieces of glass as they came down from above them. It's a miracle no one was hurt.
"There were huge pillars of smoke stretching up into the sky. The sky directly overhead looked dark and it was so smoky it made you choke. Some people must have been caught in the middle of the fire because they were crying and their faces were black."
His son, Bilal, 19, said: "You could feel the heat from the flames as it burst through the building. It was scary. People were crying and screaming. It was chaos."
Naomi Jacobs, 27, said she was in New Look when the fire took hold. "The fire alarm kept going off but everyone ignored it," she said. "It was only when we heard the glass breaking and could hear the flames that we started panicking.
"Everyone started to run out the shop. Some people were in a right state. There were people with blackened faces who looked shocked and scared."
Reader views (3)
Assesos have stated that all stock was destroyed. They have calculated the combined loss to New Look at £1.25.
- Marc, Harrow, UK
Presumably the building will indeed need a new look after this.
- Trevor Roll, London
Oxford Street has always been the place to find the hottest New Look.
- Neil, London
