Original Summary

Dave Hennessy / A seaside hotel in Folkestone has been evacuated after a fire in the early hours A fire at a seaside hotel where about 280 people were evacuated is believed to have been caused deliberately, police have said. A total of 26 fire engines were sent to the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone at about 01:05 BST, Kent Fire & Rescue Service said. Kent Police said that the fire was being treated as suspicious and are appealing for witnesses. "Inquiries into the circumstances are under way," police said. Juliette Felton / Kent Police is appealing for witnesses to the hotel fire In an update at 15:00, the fire service said that nine fire engines remained at the scene "dampening down any remaining hotspots". Station manager Lawrence Pater said the "very severe" fire had raised concerns about the structural integrity of the building, and that it was seeking advice from inspectors. Folkestone & Hythe District Council has set up a welfare centre at the Three Hills Sports Park and nearby residents have been advised to avoid the area of the fire and close windows and doors. "We are supporting all emergency services involved in the response and their efforts to get people to safety", the council said. South East Coast Ambulance Service said it assessed a number of people at the scene and one person was taken to hospital with minor injuries. A spokesperson for Britannia Hotels Group, which runs the Grand Burstin Hotel, said it was "taking immediate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all guests and team members". "Emergency services are on site and we are fully cooperating with the authorities to support those affected and assist with the ongoing response", it added. Ross Honeycomb, 39, was staying at the hotel with his family and told the BBC that they were woken by fire alarms at about 01:00. He said: "I thought I was dreaming, it was horrifying. "We looked out and there was smoke billowing from the underground car park. Later we started hearing explosions." "It has just been madness. I have been out barefoot all night." Chrissie Reidy / BBC / Ross Honeycomb was evacuated from the hotel with his family Bill Owen, who checked in on Saturday afternoon, said that when he walked past the car park, the "heat coming out of it was incredible". He added: "We could see thick black smoke. You could taste it." Another person told BBC South East that the fire had been "wind driven" and had begun in the basement, though a cause of the fire had not yet been established. Chrissie Reidy/BBC / Kevin and Kathleen said that they felt "lucky to be alive" after the fire Kevin Crawford, 91, and his wife Kathleen, 82, said that they had booked in for a two-week stay at the hotel. The couple, from London, told the BBC that they were in their room on the sixth floor when they heard a fire alarm. "We saw the fire but we thought the fire brigade had it under control," Kevin Crawford said. "We managed to sleep through it. At the time, we didn't realise how bad the fire was." HIs wife said that they were brought down from their room after waving to people from the window. "The hotel is very damaged," she added. "We are so lucky to be alive." Chrissie Reidy/BBC / Ben Cuthbert, owner of The Harbour Inn, opened his restaurant to give evacuees a place to rest Ben Cuthbert, owner of The Harbour Inn, opened his restaurant for those who evacuated. "I got a call in the middle of the night and I was told there was a big fire at the hotel," he said. Cuthbert added that there were many people who did not know where to go or what to do. "Some people left their room only in their night gowns and had nothing else with them," he said. "A lot of people were scared, we helped comfort them by giving them a place to rest." Cuthbert also offered space for paramedics to treat people. Kent Police said that officers were called to the hotel at about 01:20 to "assist traffic flow" while firefighters tackled the blaze. Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran paid tribute to emergency services on X, saying firefighters responded "rapidly, professionally and with saving lives at the forefront of their minds". Follow BBC Kent on Facebook , on X , on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds . Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.

中文概览

中文标题： 海滨酒店大火被列为可疑事件

英国福克斯通的大伯斯汀酒店凌晨发生火灾，约280人被疏散，26辆消防车到场，警方按可疑火灾处理并征集目击者。一人因轻伤送医，附近居民被建议避开并关窗。酒店方称正配合应急部门。

  • 情报分类：综合情报
  • 分类依据：社会突发事件，与专业分类无关
  • 信息来源：英语新闻 / BBC News Top Stories
  • 发布时间：2026/9/20 00:32:02