London Fire Brigade said that 70 firefighters in ten fire trucks had to battle for several hours to put out a fire at the Baitul Futuh mosque in Morden, south London, on Saturday.

Around 30 workers inside the building were evacuated, with one treated for smoke inhalation.

Rafiq Hayat, national president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community United Kingdom, said: “By the Grace of God the mosque is safe and unaffected and there were no injuries and no loss of life”.

The fire, which is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault, started at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in London Road, Morden. The community acquired the site in 1996, which was previously the “Express Dairies” and the foundation stone of the complex was laid on October 19, 1999.

“We expect a large amount of the building to be damaged”. There is space for at least 10,500 people to pray, according to the mosque’s website.

It was built in 1999, and bears the Ahmadiyya Muslim motto “Love for all, hatred for none”.

The fire is understood to have taken hold and swept through the ground and first floors of the building that includes the mosque itself and a community hall.

“We are working very hard to control the fire but, as it’s such a big building with such high ceilings, I imagine it will take a while yet”, he said.

“The congregation there, especially on a Friday, are very large and peaceful and they add very much to the community”, says Alambritis, according to AFP. This will be a blow to their operation but they will be back’.

The MP for Mitcham and Morden, Labour’s Siobhain McDonagh, spoke of her shock at news of the fire.

“They are tireless raisers of funds for charity – their own charities’ funds and charities in the community.”