Folkestone hotel fire being treated as suspicious, say police

A blaze that ripped through a hotel on the Kent seafront is being treated as suspicious, police said.

Around 280 people were evacuated from the Grand Burstin Hotel in The Harbour, Folkestone, just after 1am on Saturday where a fire is believed to have started in the basement, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said. Emergency services rushed to the scene and a welfare centre was set up by Folkestone and Hythe District Council.

Kent Police , on Saturday afternoon, shared that a probe into the circumstances was launched while adding that officers believe the fire may have been caused deliberately. No injuries relating to the fire have been reported.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service said 26 fire engines were used at the height of the fire while crews wearing breathing apparatus were working to extinguish the blaze.

The hotel overlooks Folkestone's harbour and has 550 rooms, according to the Britannia Hotels website. Officers are in attendance to assist with traffic flow while crews from Kent Fire and Rescue Service work to fully extinguish the fire.

Folkestone and Hythe District Council posted on X and 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.

"Our advice to residents living nearby is to: close all windows and doors; avoid the area and do not attempt to approach the hotel; follow the instructions of emergency services; keep roads clear to allow emergency vehicles to access the area. We will provide further updates as information becomes available."

In an update at 5:30pm, Kent Fire & Rescue said: "An investigation is underway to establish the cause of the fire at the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone, which is being treated as suspicious."

It added that four fire engines, a height vehicle and the technical rescue unit were at the scene, while firefighting operations were ongoing.

A spokesperson for Britannia Hotels Group said: "We can confirm there has been an incident at the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone and we are taking immediate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all guests and team members.

"Emergency services are on site and we are fully co-operating with the authorities to support those affected and assist with the ongoing response."

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or might have relevant CCTV or dashcam footage from the area, particularly from 10pm on Friday to 12.30am on Saturday, is urged to call Kent Police on 01843 222289 quoting 46/155727/26.