Sixty firefighters raced to fight blaze in west London tower block used as ‘Del Boy’s home’ in Only Fools and Horses
- The fire broke out in a flat on the 7th floor of the 13 storey Harlech Tower in Action at around 7.40pm last night
- Shots of Harlech Tower featured as the Trotter’s home, Nelson Mandela House in Peckham in the much-loved 1980s sitcom
- 40 people evacuated the building before the fire brigade arrived and one person was treated for injuries at the scene and taken by ambulance to hospital
Sixty firefighters rushed to tackle a blaze last night at the block of flights which featured as Del Boy Trotter’s home in the classic 1980s sitcom Only Fools And Horses.
Harlech Tower, in Acton, west London, was used to portray the much-maligned Nelson Mandela House, in the opening credits of the beloved TV show.
At about 7.40pm on Thursday, firefighters were called to tackle a blaze inside a flat on the seventh floor of the 13-storey building, the London Fire Brigade said.
Fifteen people called 999 over the incident and crews from Acton, Chiswick, Ealing, Hammersmith and surrounding fire stations all rushed to the scene.
The tower was evacuated and about 40 people were asked to leave their homes while crews with eight fire engines dealt with the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
One person was treated for injuries at the scene and taken to hospital, the London Ambulance Service said.
The soot-blackened balcony on the seventh floor appears to show the location of the blaze
The building was used for establishing shots of ‘Nelson Mandela House’ in the sitcom
Harlech Tower is soon to be demolished as part of a £650 million regeneration of the area which will see more than 3,500 homes built.
In March, a petition was launched to erect a statue of Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter at the site, with comedy TV channel Gold asking Ealing Council to allow them to mark the spot.
Only Fools And Horses star John Challis, who played Boycie in the series, shared his support for the petition.
An artist’s impression of a gold statue of Only Fools and Horses’ character Del Boy Trotter that could be installed in west London to commemorate Harlech Tower, which portrayed Nelson Mandela House in the sitcom’s opening credits
British Actors Lennard Pearce; David Jason And Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played Grandad, Del Boy and Rodney in the popular TV series
Challis said: ‘The tower carries a lot of nostalgia for many of us – not just the cast, but everyone who has enjoyed watching the show over the years.
‘While we don’t want to stand in the way of any progress being made, we do want to commemorate the tower’s long-standing connection to Only Fools And Horses and its British comedy legacy.
‘Join me in signing Gold’s online petition calling for a plaque or Del Boy statue to be installed on site to celebrate the famous block.’
Only Fools And Horses first aired on the BBC in 1981 and featured the colourful escapades of market trader Del Boy – played by Sir David Jason – and his less streetwise younger brother Rodney, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.
Its seventh regular series aired in 1991 and was followed by sporadic Christmas specials until the show ended in 2003.
Sir David and Lyndhurst reprised their roles as Del Boy and Rodney for a 2014 Sport Relief special starring David Beckham.
Despite Harlech Tower being in Acton, Only Fools And Horses was set 13 miles away in Peckham, south-east London.