Open mic night evacuated

A London comedy club was evacuated last night as fire ripped through the bar.

Thirteen acts and ten audience members made it to safety as flames lapped Clapham’s Circle Bar during the Laughter Lung open-mic night.

Around 40 firefighters fought the blaze, which damaged all three floors of the venue. One passer-by this morning said the venue was ‘a blackened shell and covered in tape and cops’.

Promoter Scott Merrington said it was only by luck that the comedy audience was evacuated as they had been ‘forgotten’ in the function room.

‘We broke after the first half, and [co-promoter] Kate Roxburgh went downstairs and saw everybody was being evacuated. I think we had been forgotten,' he told Chortle.

‘We had to make our escape through the kitchen that was full off smoke, and out the front door. The cause of the fire is believed to be the open fire in the main bar, apparently the chimney had become blocked.’

‘Luckily everyone got out safely and the fire department soon had everything under control.

‘For a while the idea of continuing the gig on the steps of the building across the street was banded about – such is the resilience and “show must go on” feeling among comedians. Unfortunately the sirens would have rendered the performance inaudible and eventually the cold got the better of everyone.’

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: ‘Eight fire engines and around 40 firefighters fought a blaze in a three storey bar on Clapham Road

‘All of the building’s floors and a roof was partly damaged by fire and smoke. Around 50 people left the building before the Brigade arrived. It’s not thought anyone was injured.’

The fire brigade was called just before 9.20pm, and the blaze was under control by 1.15am. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Laughter Lung is now looking for an alternative venue for the next few weeks.

Published: 21 Feb 2011