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CNN Live Sunday

Fire Breaks Out at Buckingham Palace

Aired June 02, 2002 - 17:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Smoke cast a cloud over queen Elizabeth's golden jubilee celebrations. A fire broke out in Buckingham Palace, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate the centuries' old royal residence. CNN's Richard Quest joins us live with a report from there. Hi there, Richard.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you. It was a exciting couple of hours when we suddenly realized that fire engines were making their way into Buckingham Palace. And we got the first pictures showing flames coming from within the building. Smoke also billowed from what we now know was a fourth floor apartment. What we understand -- we don't know the cause of the fire, but it was on the East Gallery, between the state ballroom and the state apartments.

We don't know whose apartment it was where the fire started. According to Buckingham Palace, internal fire alarms quickly detected it. The fire (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It was a very small fire that did seem to generate a great deal of smoke and confusion in the building that was, of course, evacuated.

Now, there were thousands of people milling outside the palace at the time, and police quite quickly moved them all back and cleared the area, as we waited for more details.

What I can now tell you is that the queen was not in residence. In fact, none of the members of the royal family were in residence at the time, we believe. There will be no change for the plans for tonight's pop concert. There is a massive concert, 12,000 people been invited to Buckingham Palace, part of the golden jubilee celebrations. And Fredricka, the clearest indication that things are back on track -- in the distance, I can hear Eric Clapton singing "Layla." The reversals are once again under way in the palace ground. They have lost about an hour and a half of rehearsal time, but clearly her majesty will be very relieved, and she has made it clear she wants everything to go just according to plan.

WHITFIELD: And Eric Clapton, as well as Elton John were among those who were rehearsing when the fire broke out. So it appears as though, because you are hearing the music from Eric Clapton, that perhaps that concert is definitely under way for tomorrow night still?

QUEST: Oh, there is no question. The palace has confirmed that the concert is going ahead. The queen's schedule tomorrow goes ahead. And I would show you, Fredricka, if I could, but the palace is not lit up tonight. It will be tomorrow, when you and I, no doubt, will be talking again, and the palace will be lit up.

But I can tell you, I can see there are lights inside the building. People have gone back to work. The rehearsals are under way. It has been an extraordinary -- to use a cliche from English, it's been a storm in a teacup.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yeah, OK, thank you very much. Richard Quest, appreciate it from London.

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