Folkestone hotel fire: Sleeping guests evacuated as fire rips through hotel in overnight chaos

Fire crews battling a blaze at a Kent seafront hotel this morning have issued an ‘avoid the area’ warning to the public.

Hotel guests staying at the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone are being evacuated from the site following a fire overnight according to Folkestone and Hythe District Council.

The fire is believed to have started at around 1am with locals taking to social media to share images of the incident from afar. The cause of the fire has not yet been established.

A spokesperson for Folkestone and Hythe District Council said: "A fire is currently ongoing at the Folkestone Grand Burstin Hotel. We are operating a welfare centre at Three Hills Sports Park for people being evacuated from the site, where we are providing support to those affected.

"We are supporting all emergency services involved in the response and their efforts to get people to safety."

The Mirror has contacted Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Kent Police and the Folkestone Grand Burstin Hotel for more information.

Follow our live blog below for the latest updates on this ongoing incident.