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One of London‘s finest houses was reduced to ashes this morning as fire tore through the 18th Century Grade II-listed mansion.
More than 70 firefighters battled through the night to save as much of Hollybush House in Barnet as they could.
But images posted from the scene showed much of the sprawling nine-bed home, which was undergoing extensive renovations, is gone.
Fire crews rushed to the Hadley Green Road, which is home to scores of detached houses with seven-figure price tags, around 1am.
The London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines had swarmed the scene with about 70 firefighters working to extinguish the inferno.
Crews were still trying to get the blaze, which had engulfed much of the house, under control several hours later.
The cause of the fire is unknown and emergency services are yet to comment on whether anyone has been injured.
London Fire Brigade said ‘Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters are tackling a fire at a house on Hadley Green Road in Barnet.
Fire crews are working to extinguish a blaze on Hadley Green Road, Barnet
Hollybush House, which was built in the late 1700s, is shown on Google Streetview before renovations began
‘The whole of the roof, as well as most of the first floor and half of the ground floor of the property are alight.
‘The Brigade’s Control Officers took the first of seven calls to the fire at 0110 and mobilised crews from Southgate, Barnet, Finchley and surrounding fire stations to the scene.
‘The cause of the fire is not known at this time.’
Hollybush House was built in the late 1700s and boasts six bedrooms in the main home – one with its own roof garden – and three more in an attached ‘cottage’.
Documents show the main building has a floor-space stretching to 6,300 sq ft with offices, the cottage and outbuildings adding a further 3,000 sq ft.
The main building boasted a drawing room, library, kitchen, dining room, sitting room and art room, with an adjoining garage.
It is set in two-and-a-quarter acres of grounds, which include a heated outdoor swimming pool, a kitchen garden, several terraces and a rose garden, among others.
Homes on Hadley Green Road are known to go for millions of pounds, with current listings revealing one of the houses sold for £4.7m – in 2014.
When Hollybush House was last listed, the asking price was not made public.
This is a breaking news story. More to come.
