Robbie Williams describes escape from blaze at five-star Mandarin Oriental

Popstar Robbie Williams has spoken of his escape from a five-star hotel in central London that caught fire.

About 120 firefighters tackled the blaze at the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge.

Williams was one of hundreds of guests and staff who had to flee the burning 115-year-old building.

Former Take That singer Williams and his wife, actress Ayda Field, described seeing smoke on the floor above them and “embers falling from the sky”.

Williams, 44, said: “I went on the balcony and looked up and there was just billows and billows of smoke.

“I came back in from the balcony and said the hotel’s on fire, and then the next thing a knock at the door came and there was a bellboy there and they said: ‘Get out’.”

Williams and Field, 39, ran down an external fire escape to safety before going to a photo shoot with Mo Farah and Usain Bolt at Downing Street to promote a Soccer Aid for the Unicef charity football match.

“Then we had to go have a picture taken with the prime minister who waited 25 minutes for us – bless her,” Williams said.

Huge plumes of smoke were seen coming from the hotel, a week after the completion of “the most extensive restoration in its 115-year history”.

Firefighters were called shortly before 4pm.

London Fire Brigade said the cause of the blaze was not yet known but it is believed to have spread across a “vertical facade for plants and vegetation and into several floors of the hotel”.

Thirty six hotel guests and 250 members of staff were evacuated but there were no reports of injuries.

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

The 19-year-old lift engineer, who gave his name as Harry, said: “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 added.

TV presenter Anna Whiteley said she was among those evacuated from the hotel, adding that she was “so impressed by the organisation in bringing everyone to safety”.

Graham Heels, who works near the hotel, told Sky News: “There was a lot of smoke billowing from the roof, thick black smoke, and debris floating up into the air.”

Twenty five fire engines were at the scene and London Ambulance Service said it had sent a “number of resources” including its hazardous area response team.

Staff from the hotel were evacuated to Hyde Park where they were given bottles of water.

The Mandarin Oriental released a statement confirming that the “unfortunate fire” had been extinguished.

They said: “To the best of our knowledge, all Mandarin Oriental guests have been accounted for and we are contacting guests who were not in the hotel at the time.

“All colleagues are safe and accounted for.

“Hotel guests are being accommodated at other hotels in the vicinity. We would like to express our appreciation to everyone who has conveyed their concern about this sad incident.

“It is too early at the present stage to assess the full extent of the damage. A full investigation is under way and will take time to complete.”

The blaze did not spread to other buildings.

The Mandarin Oriental describes itself on its website as “one of London’s most celebrated five-star hotels” that “exudes an enticing mix of elegance and luxury”.

The hotel has recently undergone a multi-million pound renovation which it described as “the most extensive restoration in its 115-year history”.

It has a number of luxury restaurants including Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.

The historic, Edwardian-style building was first opened as the Hyde Park Hotel in 1902 before it was bought by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in 1996.

It completed the 18-month long refurbishment project – at a reported cost of £185m – in May.

Designer Joyce Wang had been tasked with transforming all 181 bedrooms and public areas.

In 1899, a major fire struck the building which damaged the top three floors of the Knightsbridge wing and destroyed part of the roof. There were no fatalities or injuries in the incident.

The Mandarin Oriental has had a long relationship with the Royal Family and it hosted a gala dinner before the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011.

(c) Sky News 2018: Robbie Williams describes escape from blaze at five-star Mandarin Oriental