An investigation is underway into the cause of a fire that ripped through a detached house in Kilburn this morning.

The four-storey property in Cavendish Road is undergoing a £1.5m refurbishment so was empty when the blaze broke out just before 6am.

Six fire engines and around 35 firefighters and officers fought the fire which damaged the property’s basement, ground and first floors, loft conversion and roof.

Crews from West Hampstead, North Kensington, Willesden, Tottenham, Edmonton, Hendon and Finchley fire stations were called to the scene.

It took almost three hours for the blaze to be deemed under control.