1,500 people evacuated in London hotel fire

Police officers and members of the public stand outside the London Hilton on Park Lane after part of the building caught on fire, in London. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON - A FIRE at London's Park Lane Hilton hotel forced the evacuation of about 1,500 people including the front man of rock group Black Eyed Peas.

Around 20 firefighters were sent to the luxury hotel early on Friday evening after the fire department received reports of smoke in a second-floor kitchen vent and in the basement.

The Daily Mail newspaper published pictures of Black Eyed Peas singer Will-i-am walking out of the hotel, covering his mouth with the top of his T-shirt.

The singer was in town to perform at an open-air festival in Hyde Park, across the street from the hotel.

The Wireless Festival's publicist Kate Etteridge said he appeared fine as he joined the rest of the band onstage at the event later in the evening.

Metropolitan Police said nobody had been injured in the blaze. -- AP