'It Was Horrifying': 280 Evacuated in Suspicious Folkestone Hotel Fire as 90 Neighbours Forced Out Over Structural Fears

About 280 people were forced to flee the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone in the early hours of Saturday after a basement fire that police are treating as suspicious, with a further 90 residents ordered to leave their homes amid concerns that the blaze may have weakened the hotel's structure.

Kent Fire & Rescue Service (KFRS) said 26 fire engines were sent to the hotel, on Marine Parade, at about 1.05am BST. The fire is believed to have started in the basement, but its cause has not yet been established.

Kent Police said inquiries into the circumstances were under way. Officers have appealed for witnesses and for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward.

Guests Tell of Night They Fled

Ross Honeycomb, 39, who was staying at the hotel with his family, told the BBC they were woken by alarms at about 1am. 'I thought I was dreaming, it was horrifying,' he said. 'We looked out and there was smoke billowing from the underground car park. Later we started hearing explosions.'

He added: 'It has just been madness. I have been out barefoot all night.' Kevin Crawford, 91, and his wife Kathleen, 82, from London, had booked a two-week stay and were in their sixth-floor room when the alarm sounded.

'We saw the fire but we thought the fire brigade had it under control,' Mr Crawford told the BBC. 'We managed to sleep through it. At the time, we didn't realise how bad the fire was.' The couple said they felt 'lucky to be alive', while South East Coast Ambulance Service said one person was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Neighbours Ordered Out Amid Structural Fears

Residents of Pavilion Court, in Marine Terrace, were relocated on Saturday evening after safety inspectors raised concerns that the intensity of the blaze may have weakened the hotel's structure, Folkestone & Hythe District Council said. The 90 residents were placed in hotels in the town.

KFRS station manager Lawrence Pater said the 'very severe' fire had raised concerns about the structural integrity of the building and that the service was seeking advice from inspectors.

A council spokesperson said officers were working to arrange alternative housing for all affected residents while the Grand Burstin undergoes further assessments and any necessary work to make it safe.

Council chief executive Susan Priest said Saturday had been 'an extremely difficult day, firstly for the hotel guests and then for our residents who have had to move out of their homes'.

Emergency Support Centre Set Up

The council opened a welfare centre at Three Hills Sports Park, in Cheriton, for evacuated guests. Ms Priest said support from organisations including Three Hills, Morrisons and the Salvation Army had been 'amazing' and helped ensure people had food and hot drinks.

Ben Cuthbert, owner of The Harbour Inn, opened his restaurant to evacuees. 'I got a call in the middle of the night and I was told there was a big fire at the hotel,' he told the BBC.

Britannia Hotels Group, which runs the hotel, said it was 'taking immediate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all guests and team members'. It later said it was 'fully cooperating with Kent Police and supporting their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire'.

KFRS said firefighting operations at the scene were complete, with crews monitoring for any remaining hotspots. Road closures remained in place, and residents were advised to avoid the area and keep windows and doors closed.