One of Britain’s best known tourist attractions and possibly the most famous ship in the world, the Cutty Sark, is being consumed by a huge fire.
The vessel is completely ablaze and eight fire engines are at the scene in Greenwich, south east London.
Sky News producer Leah Borromeo, who is at the scene, said the cause of the fire is being treated as suspicious.
There are no reports of any injuries.
Ian Allchin from the London Fire Brigade said: “The fire is now well under control.
“There is substantial damage to the ship and we’ll be here for several hours.”
Greenwich town centre was shut to traffic for more than an hour.
Some roads have now reopened but disruption and delays are expected to affect the surrounding area for many hours.
The Docklands Light Railway has been closed and some residents are being evacuated from their homes.
The ship has been closed to the public for extensive renovation work. It was due to reopen in 2009.
London Fire Brigade said the Metropolitan Police received a call at 4.55am reporting an extensive fire on the 19th-century clipper.
The Clyde-built Cutty Sark was, in 1869, one of the last sailing clippers to be built.
She was destined for the tea trade – an intensely competitive race across the globe from China to London, with immense profits for the ship to arrive with the first tea of the year.
