Grand Burstin hotel, on Marine Parade in Folkestone, Kent, was engulfed by a major fire in the early hours of Saturday. Emergency services were alerted at around 01:20 and, at the height of the operation, 26 fire engines were involved.
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around 280 people were evacuated from the hotel and accommodated at a reception centre set up by the local council. Authorities said there were no injuries. According to preliminary information, the flames started in the basement, while the fire was brought under control at around 08:30. However, several crews continued working throughout the day to fully extinguish the remaining hotspots.
Kent Police said that, following initial checks, the incident was being treated as suspicious and that the possibility that the fire had been deliberately started could not be ruled out.
“Investigations into the circumstances are ongoing and officers now believe that the fire may have been started deliberately,” Kent Police said. Investigators are collecting statements from people who may have seen something, as well as footage from security cameras and vehicle dashboard cameras. Police have asked everyone who was in the area between 22:00 on Friday and 00:30 on Saturday to submit any information or video footage that could help clarify the incident.
Grand Burstin, which is managed by Britannia Hotels, has around 550 rooms and is located near Folkestone Harbour. According to Sky News, the incident required a major emergency services response, while firefighters remained at the scene for several hours after the fire was brought under control.
