Folkestone hotel evacuated after fire
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by Tricia Jamieson
More than 800 people were led to safety after a fire broke out
in a hotel bedroom in the early hours of Monday morning.
Around 30 firefighters tackled the blaze at the Grand Burstin,
overlooking Folkestone Harbour. The hotel - which had 800 guests
staying, some disabled and in wheelchairs, plus 16 members of staff
- was evacuated.
The fire was spotted at around 12.30am by a passerby who saw
smoke coming from a second floor window and alerted hotel staff who
began the evacuation.
The guest staying in the room was not in it at the time. The
cause of the blaze was a tea light left alight on top of a
televison which burnt through and set fire to the television.
The fire was contained to the bedroom and part of the corridor
was affected by smoke.
Watch manager Giles Parker, from Folkestone fire station, said:
"The design of the hotel is such that it has concrete floors and
ceilings so that helped contain the fire.
"The room was also in a section at the end of a corridor near
the fire escape which made it easier for us to get to."
The guests remained outside until given the all clear by
firefighters when they were initially allowed back into the hotel
dining room, and then into their rooms apart from about 10 affected
by smoke damage.
Firefighters left the hotel around 3am.
Monday, August 17 2009
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