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Singer Robbie Williams was among hundreds of guests and hotel workers who were evacuated from the five-star Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hyde Park when a huge fire broke out today.

The singer, 44, was filmed making his way down a fire escape at the luxury hotel along with other guests as a vast plume of smoke billowed from the building.

The star was seen heading calmly to street level and giving a thumbs up as flames leapt from the hotel's windows behind him.

There were no immediate reports of casualties as 120 firefighters and 20 fire engines tackled the blaze at the newly refurbished hotel near Hyde Park.

Student Mathew Ickens said: "I looked up and saw smoke pouring out of the top of this building. Ash is falling everywhere on to the roads and pavements. There are fire engines everywhere."

Tony Williamson, 37, was shopping with his family in nearby Harrods when he saw emergency services passing outside.

Knightsbridge Fire: Mandarin Oriental Hotel - In pictures 23 show all Knightsbridge Fire: Mandarin Oriental Hotel - In pictures 1/23 A huge plume of smoke billows from the roof of the Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park PA 2/23 120 firefighters were called to the scene in Knightsbridge ‏@matthewickens 3/23 The smoke was visible from across the capital Dave Winckler 4/23 Smoke billows out of the roof of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel London Fire Brigade 5/23 There were no immediate reports of injuries PA 6/23 Police cordoned off the area as firefighters tackled the blaze Martin Coulter 7/23 Huge fire: the smoke billows over Hyde Park @tandjgetmarried 8/23 The plume of smoke visible from street level ‏@matthewickens 9/23 The fire broke out on the 12th floor of the hotel Gary Sanderson 10/23 A huge plume of smoke billows from the roof of the Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park 11/23 The fire broke out on the top floor of the hotel, which had recently been refurbished Martin Coulter 12/23 A police officer directs members of the public away from the scene of the fire PA 13/23 Fire crews tackle the blaze at the 5-star hotel PA 14/23 A rooftop view of the fire at the Mandarin Oriental hotel @rhscollingwood 15/23 Shoppers told of the air being thick with smoke even at street level PA 16/23 The blaze broke out shortly before 4pm this afternoon ‏@matthewickens 17/23 Emergency services at the scene near the hotel in Knightsbridge PA 18/23 The fire brigade received dozens of calls about the huge blaze ‏@matthewickens 19/23 London Firefighters at the scene near Hyde Park Reuters 20/23 Smoke billows from the roof of the luxury hotel in Knightsbridge PA 21/23 Twenty fire engines were called to tackle the blaze PA 22/23 A firefighter works to contain the blaze PA 23/23 Police and other emergency services at the scene PA 1/23 A huge plume of smoke billows from the roof of the Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park PA 2/23 120 firefighters were called to the scene in Knightsbridge ‏@matthewickens 3/23 The smoke was visible from across the capital Dave Winckler 4/23 Smoke billows out of the roof of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel London Fire Brigade 5/23 There were no immediate reports of injuries PA 6/23 Police cordoned off the area as firefighters tackled the blaze Martin Coulter 7/23 Huge fire: the smoke billows over Hyde Park @tandjgetmarried 8/23 The plume of smoke visible from street level ‏@matthewickens 9/23 The fire broke out on the 12th floor of the hotel Gary Sanderson 10/23 A huge plume of smoke billows from the roof of the Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park 11/23 The fire broke out on the top floor of the hotel, which had recently been refurbished Martin Coulter 12/23 A police officer directs members of the public away from the scene of the fire PA 13/23 Fire crews tackle the blaze at the 5-star hotel PA 14/23 A rooftop view of the fire at the Mandarin Oriental hotel @rhscollingwood 15/23 Shoppers told of the air being thick with smoke even at street level PA 16/23 The blaze broke out shortly before 4pm this afternoon ‏@matthewickens 17/23 Emergency services at the scene near the hotel in Knightsbridge PA 18/23 The fire brigade received dozens of calls about the huge blaze ‏@matthewickens 19/23 London Firefighters at the scene near Hyde Park Reuters 20/23 Smoke billows from the roof of the luxury hotel in Knightsbridge PA 21/23 Twenty fire engines were called to tackle the blaze PA 22/23 A firefighter works to contain the blaze PA 23/23 Police and other emergency services at the scene PA

He said: “We stepped outside and couldn’t believe how much smoke there was.

“The air was thick with it. I’ve never seen anything like it.

“Fingers crossed nobody’s hurt.”

Abi Kotomah, 23, was also at the scene, and told the Standard: “This is proper mad.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many fire engines in one place before.

“I work in a jewellers around the corner but we’ve basically shut up shop while this is going on.”

A tradesman working at the hotel said he saw a fire on the roof before raising the alarm.

The 19-year-old lift engineer, who gave his name as Harry, said: "I was in the lift and I hit the fire alarm button.

"I was in the lift shaft and I looked to my left and saw the geezers working on the roof.

"To my left there was a big fire.

"I said (to my colleague) 'Lee, there's a fire over there, let's get out of the building. Get out the lift shaft, I'm being serious'.

"We ran down the stairs and went and got the scaffolder out of the loading bay."

He said the builders on the roof had been cutting materials and doing other work during the day.

"I could see the orange flames on the roof," he said.

Retired ambulance officer Gary Sanderson told the Standard: “It was very acrid smoke and you can still smell it now 25 minutes later. It was the sort of smoke you get when there is a chip pan fire.

“There were a lot of people let out of the building and the emergency services reacted very, very quickly.

“It was a godsend that the fire was on the 12th floor, if it was lower down it would have been a lot worse.”

Turkish sports journalist Eren Sarigul said he could first smell the smoke while walking down Sloane Street.

“Plumes of smoke are coming from a building in Knightsbridge and I’ve seen about six fire engines whizz by,” he said, describing the scenes as "madness".

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: "Twenty fire engines and 120 firefighters and officers have been called to a visible fire in William Street in Knightsbridge.

"The Brigade's 999 control officers have taken more than 35 calls to the fire, which is producing a lot of smoke.

"The Brigade was called at 1555. Fire crews from Chelsea, Kensington, Hammersmith, Battersea and other surrounding fire stations are at the scene.

"The cause of the fire is not known at this stage."

London Ambulance Service and Metropolitan Police are also attending the scene.

A spokesman for the Mandarin Oriental said: "We are aware that there is a fire at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, and that the fire brigade is at the hotel.

"As the situation is still unfolding, we have no further details to share at this time, but will provide an update soon."

The hotel underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment which was completed at the end of May this year.

In a £185m refit, the hotel was kitted out with new bedrooms, public areas, restaurants and dining spaces and a new spa.

It is also home to Heston Blumenthal's celebrated restaurant Dinner, Bar Boulud, London and the Mandarin Bar.

The Mandarin describes itself on its website as one of London's most celebrated hotels with "an enticing mix of elegance and luxury."

Rooms there can cost upwards of £700 per night with suites costing over £2,300.

London Ambulance Service Deputy Director of Operations Peter McKenna said: "We were called at 4:04pm today to Knightsbridge, SW1X, to reports of a fire.

"We have sent multiple crews including our hazardous area response team.

"We remain at the scene.”