A five-star hotel in Kensington has been evacuated following reports of a chemical spillage.
Police closed off Kensington High Street at around 12.30pm on Thursday while emergency services investigated the incident at the Milestone hotel.
Passers-by reported a strong smell like chlorine as they were told to move away from the hotel, located at the corner of Hyde Park near Kensington Palace.
50 people were evacuated from the hotel before firefighters arrived, with a further 30 people being asked to leave an adjacent apartment as a precaution.
Hazim Abood, 28, who works for Big Bus Tours, was metres away from the hotel when the cordon was put up.
He said: “The cordon was put up after some kind of liquid spilt, it smelt like chlorine. I saw police and firefighters come down and they took everyone out of the hotel, moving some of them to another hotel down the road.
"You could smell it from right down the road, some people had to cover their faces because of it.”
A spokesman for London Fire Brigade later confirmed the cordon was put up after the "accidental spillage of a cleaning agent".
Crews checked the area for any raised chemical levels but found nothing, the spokesman added.
Sergio Dell-Agenolo, manager of nearby Fouberts restaurant, told the Standard: "Someone from the fire brigade said it was a chemical spill down the road and police still have it closed.
"It’s definitely a concern to us and we’re keeping an eye on it. It’s a particular concern because of the recent chemical incidents in the UK, you never know about these kind of things."
There are not thought to be any serious injuries as a result of the spillage.
Kensington High Street was closed in both directions at the junction with Palace Gardens.
