Around forty firefighters have been called to a blaze near the Saudi embassy in central London.
Images posted to social media showed a terraced building adjacent to the embassy in Mayfair engulfed in flames with fire crews attending to it.
The fire is believed to have started in the ground floor Lebanese restaurant next to the embassy before it spread to the third floor.
Eyewitnesses claimed they heard explosions but these reports were not confirmed by the authorities.
It is not thought to have spread to the Saudi embassy.
A statement issued by the London Fire Brigade said 15 calls about the incident had been received by 999 operators.
"Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters have been called to a fire at a restaurant with flats above in Curzon Street in Mayfair," a statement said.
"The restaurants extraction system from ground to third floor is alight.
"The brigade was called at 9.17am. Fire crews from Soho, Lambeth, Chelsea and other surrounding fire stations are at the scene.
"The cause of the fire is not known at this stage."
