Fire outbreaks in Palace of Westminster spark ‘Notre Dame inferno’ warning
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Fire has broken out 45 times in the Palace of Westminster over the last decade, latest figures show, sparking warnings of a “Notre Dame inferno incubating” on the crumbling estate. Labour former cabinet minister Lord Hain, who obtained the breakdown of incidents in Parliament, said he was “horrified”.
The peer, who served as Commons leader for two years during his time as an MP, has hit out at the “prevarication and delay” over the restoration of the world heritage site, which he feared could have “catastrophic consequences”. The debate over how to revamp the Houses of Parliament has been ongoing for years as the cost of the multibillion-pound project has spiralled alongside concerns about the condition of the historical buildings – including the threat of fire, flood and asbestos.
The basement of the palace has previously been branded the “cathedral of horror” because of the underground tangle of pipes, cables and wiring, with key services inaccessible, buried behind layers of more recent installations. The number of small fire outbreaks between 2014 and 2024, revealed in reply to a written parliamentary question by Lord Hain, is set to fuel demand for urgent action.
Raising the risk of a blaze similar to that which devastated the famous cathedral in the heart of Paris in 2019, Lord Hain said: “I am horrified and these fires demonstrate that there’s a Notre Dame inferno incubating in the palace. “Parliament decided years ago to a full decant for the proper restoration and renewal of the whole precious world heritage site.
