Library volunteers in Wembley had their film evening cut short by a fire which ripped through a building nearby.

Four fire engines and 21 firefighters and officers were called to a fire in Preston Road on Saturday night where 10 people had been evacuated before they arrived at 8pm.

Residents attending Preston library’s film night around the corner in Carlton Avenue East had to leave when their musical Singing in the Rain, suddenly switched off.

Philip Bromberg, chairman of the library, said: “We hold a cinema here on Saturday night and had just started to show Singing in the Rain when the power went. I looked outside, thinking it might be the fuse box and saw four fire-engines around the corner.

“Half the people left and three of us stayed until power was restored at 1am as we can’t close our electronic shutters manually. “We ate chips and entertained each other until eventually the security lights lost power as well and we were left in the dark. We would have rather not gone through it but it was pleasant enough. We’ll reschedule the musical for November.”

Fire crews from Wembley and Stanmore fire stations attended the scene found electrical trunking from the ground floor to the first floor of the building was damaged by the blaze.

A spokesman for the Fire Brigade said: “There were no reports of any injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”