Fire hit Strand on Tuesday

Work on a Foster + Partners-designed refurbishment on London’s Strand that was hit by a fire will restart soon. Sources close to the project disclosed the damage was less than initially feared.

The source said large parts of the building, called Marconi House, remained untouched by either fire or water damage.

But as Building went to press the damage to the lower levels from water pumped in to the building to quell the blaze was expected to be significant.

Work was under way to convert the building into a hotel and luxury apartments when the fire struck on Tuesday.

The blaze threw up clouds of black smoke, which could be seen across most of central London.

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