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| Fire at heraldry records building | Fire at heraldry records building |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Firefighters are tackling a blaze on two floors of the College of Arms in the City of London. | Firefighters are tackling a blaze on two floors of the College of Arms in the City of London. |
| London Fire Brigade (LFB) say eight fire engines and about 40 firefighters are at the six-storey office building in Queen Victoria Street. | London Fire Brigade (LFB) say eight fire engines and about 40 firefighters are at the six-storey office building in Queen Victoria Street. |
| They were called just after 1050 GMT on Thursday. | They were called just after 1050 GMT on Thursday. |
| The coats of arms and pedigrees of English, Welsh, Northern Irish and Commonwealth families and their descendants are kept there. | The coats of arms and pedigrees of English, Welsh, Northern Irish and Commonwealth families and their descendants are kept there. |
| There are no reports of any injuries. | There are no reports of any injuries. |
| A spokesman for the LFB said: "Parts of the third and fourth floor are currently alight. | A spokesman for the LFB said: "Parts of the third and fourth floor are currently alight. |
| "Fire crews from Dowgate, Islington, Clerkenwell, Soho and Euston are attending the incident." | "Fire crews from Dowgate, Islington, Clerkenwell, Soho and Euston are attending the incident." |
| College history | |
| Records at the College of Arms also include official copies of the records of Ulster King of Arms, the originals of which remain in Dublin. | Records at the College of Arms also include official copies of the records of Ulster King of Arms, the originals of which remain in Dublin. |
| The officers of the college specialise in genealogical and heraldic work for clients and are therefore called heralds. | |
| In 1484 heralds, who worked for the monarchy and noblemen, were given a house in Coldharbour in Upper Thames Street to keep their records. | |
| When Henry VII came to power in 1484 the building was taken away from them. | |
| In 1555 they were given the current site where Derby Place stood. | |
| Derby Place was gutted in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the current building was built at the site in the 1670s. |