London, July 30: A hundred firefighters and 20 pump engines battled an office-building fire behind London's Paddington Railway Station late last night, the fire service said. Although three ambulances were called, there was no immediate word of any casualties in the fire, which broke out at 0114 IST (1944 gmt), the London fire brigade said. It said the building was believed to be empty. The fire service said the flames burned on floors seven to nine in a 12-story office building on Eastbourne terrace, which runs parallel to Paddington station, a major rail terminal in west-central London and the departure point for the Heathrow Express service to the airport west of the capital. Police said several people had been evacuated from nearby offices and homes. They said the rail station was still open, but surrounding streets had been closed.
A brigade spokesman said almost all of the seventh floor, part of the eighth and some of the ninth floor had been destroyed.

Bureau Report