A major fire, origin unknown, damaged the five-star 12-storey Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Knightsbridge, London earlier this month with 120 firefighters and 20 engines involved. The hotel was safely evacuated and no-one was hurt. The hotel had just completed a £185million refurbishment.

In 2009 a major blaze swept through the uncompleted 44-storey Bejing Television Cultural Center, due to house the new 241-room, 5 star Mandarin Oriental Hotel. More than 600 firefighters attended and one died at the scene from smoke inhalation, with seven others injured. The cause was a massive firework display staged on the last day of the Chinese New Year.