Suspected arson at a hotel in Britain, around 280 people evacuated

The Grand Burstin hotel in the seaside town of Folkestone, Kent, Britain, was engulfed by a major fire during the early hours of Saturday. Emergency services were alerted at around 1:20 a.m., while 26 fire engines were deployed on Marine Parade at the height of the response.

Approximately 280 people were evacuated from the building and accommodated at a dedicated reception centre set up by the local council. British authorities said that no injuries had been reported.

The flames are believed to have started in the hotel’s basement. The fire was brought under control at around 8:30 a.m., but several firefighting crews continued working throughout the day to fully extinguish the remaining hotspots.

Kent Police said after initial checks that the case was being treated as suspicious, as there were indications that the fire may have been started deliberately.

“Investigations into the circumstances are ongoing, and officers now believe the fire may have been caused deliberately,” Kent Police said. The authorities have appealed for witnesses, as well as CCTV or dashcam footage.

People who were in the area between 10:00 p.m. on Friday and 12:30 a.m. on Saturday have been urged to submit any information or footage that could assist the investigation.

Grand Burstin is operated by Britannia Hotels, has around 550 rooms and is located near Folkestone Harbour. According to Sky News, the incident prompted a major mobilisation of emergency services, while firefighters remained at the scene for several hours even after the flames had been brought under control.