FIREFIGHTERS from Chiswick were called out to a fire ripping through a day centre and destroying around a quarter of the three-storey building earlier this week.

Neighbours alerted the fire service after seeing flames coming from the roof of the Metanoia Institute in North Common Road, Ealing, at about 7.30pm last Thursday. The building was empty at the time.

Six fire engines and more than 30 firefighters from Chiswick and Acton fire stations tackled the blaze for 90 minutes.

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said: "It is believed the blaze was caused by an electrical fire and we are still awaiting the fire report. There is no indication that it is being treated as suspicious but it is still under investigation."

For the day care centre, which offers counselling and psychotherapy courses for more than 400 students, it was business as usual this week after the fire caused some disruptions over the weekend.

Dr Sheila Owen-Jones, chief executive officer of the Metanoia Institute, told the Times: "We are still open and the classes are running as normal. We had some disruption but the fire was isolated to just one part of the house."

Police attended the fire but were not required to stay. A spokesman said: "We attended a call to a fire in North Common Road at about 7.50pm. It was not thought to be suspicious."