Kiwi House near King's Cross station evacuated after gas cylinders explode during event for New Zealand fans
Up to 700 people were evacuated from New Zealand's Olympics hospitality house after a fire.
Emergency services were called to the temporary Kiwi House beside the University of the Arts in King's Cross, central London after a gas canister being used for a barbecue exploded.
Hundreds of New Zealanders who have come to London for the Games had gathered for a party before the blaze started.
Brook Johnstone, 55, from Port Waikato, said: "I looked around and the gas bottle had a little flame around it. The cook was trying to put it out and the flame just got bigger so I just said 'Let's get out of here'."
Johnstone, who is in London on holiday, said the canister exploded with such force that it blew the roof off the barbecue area.
New Zealander and Leeds University student Sonia Holland said she did not believe anyone was injured in the blaze.
The 19-year-old, from Napier, said: "I literally just got my food and there was a big kerfuffle around the barbecue area. Then everyone was pushed inside, but then people were telling us to get out of the building. They got everyone out of the building as fast as they could. I was out within two minutes."
She said when she looked back at the building she could see fire and smoke coming from the garden of the building.
Holland, who is also working as a volunteer Games maker at the Olympics, said she was not aware of any athletes in attendance.