London 2012: Fire At Kiwi House In King's Cross (PICTURE)

300 Evacuated From Fire At Kiwi House In King's Cross

New Zealand's Olympics hospitality house during London 2012 has caught on fire - after an outdoor barbecue exploded on Wednesday evening.

The fire broke out as guests were watching a game of hockey and up to 300 were evacuated. No one was hurt but Kiwi House is now closed until further notice.

Witness Georgina Lister-Fell, 25, told The Huffington Post UK the security guards told everyone to "run" as the fire broke out.

"I was approaching the queue and then all of a sudden people saw smoke and started running out of the outdoor area saying a gas canister had set alight.

"People started jumping over the fencing and the queue started to disperse. There was one bang and then the fire started and everyone evacuated whilst the security guards were pulling down the bamboo fencing and commanding people to run. We spoke to a group of Kiwi girls who said they were by the gas canister that set alight and were forced to pick up and run leaving their belongings behind. Fire engines and police arrived ushering everyone out of the area and started water hosing the flames.:

The fire outside Kiwi House in King's Cross, London

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson told The Huffington Post UK: "We were called about 7:20pm. We believe it's at the rear of Kiwi house. We've got two fire engines and around 10 firefighters at the scene. There are no reports of anyone injured.

"The fire involves cylinders so a safety cordon has been put in place just as a precaution," they added.

TVNZ reporter Andrew Potter told the New Zealand herald: "There were hundreds of Kiwis in there watching New Zealand's hockey game and waiting for other Olympic sports to watch on the big screen, then completely without warning a barbecue at the back of the bar on the outside section of the bar appears to have erupted in flames and within seconds the entire pop-up bar was in flames sending hundreds of young Kiwis running out trying to get away."

Kiwi House describes itself as a "haven for friends, family and proud supporters of the New Zealand Olympic Team."

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