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A fire at a seaside hotel where around 280 people were evacuated in the middle of the night is believed to have been started deliberately, police have said.
asserted
police → see → night
Some 26 fire engines were deployed to the Grand Burstin Hotel, in Folkestone, Kent at around 1.05am on Saturday, Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) said.
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Service → deploy → Saturday
The fire is believed to have started in the basement of the Britannia Hotels-owned landmark, which has previously been used to house asylum seekers, in Marine Parade.
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which → believe → Parade
Now, police and the fire service have said the fire is being treated as 'suspicious' - and they have appealed for witnesses.
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they → say → witnesses
'Inquiries into the circumstances are underway and officers now believe the fire may have been caused deliberately,' police added.
uncertain
police → believe → circumstances
The fire sparked a major emergency response, with 26 fire engines and a specialist height vehicle being sent to the scene.
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engines → spark → scene
Firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control before targeting remaining hotspots.
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Firefighters → work → hotspots
No fire-related injuries have been reported so far.
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injuries → relate → ?
Guests were evacuated from the Grand Burstin Hotel after a fire broke out at around 1.05am on Saturday
It is believed the fire started in the basement of the Britannia Hotels-owned building, which has previously been used to house asylum seekers
Ten fire engines remained in the area overnight as crews continued to battle the blaze.
Residents were urged to avoid the area surrounding the hotel and to close all windows and doors.
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Residents → evacuate → windows
A welfare centre was organised at Three Hills Sports Park by Folkestone and Hythe District Council for people affected by the fire.
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centre → organise → fire
One guest staying on the first floor recalled being awakened by the fire alarm, saying: 'We just had to jump up, get ready and dash out.'
'We were sat outside for ages, it was freezing cold, then they let us come into The Harbour Inn.'
Ben Cuthbert, 47, who runs the pub near the hotel, said he opened at around 2am after being called and asked to give evacuated guests a place to keep warm.
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he → stay → place
He said around 200 people had gathered outside in the harbour when he arrived, before people were brought into the pub to stay warm and receive treatment.
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people → say → treatment
'When we got here at 2 o'clock in the morning, there were people everywhere,' he said.
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he → get → morning
'They just needed a place to stay warm and come in from the cold and be treated.'
Mr Cuthbert said it was 'quite chaotic at first' as people were treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation and various injuries throughout the night.
'
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people → need → night
Around 280 people evacuated the building, and a welfare centre has been organised by Folkestone and Hythe District Council.
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centre → evacuate → Folkestone
At around 5am, the council arrived and organised a welfare centre for those affected by the fire at Three Hills Sports Park, he added.
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he → arrive → Park
Jeff Gardner, 44, who was staying at the hotel as part of an ancestry trip, said he believed he heard a couple of explosions.
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he → stay → explosions
Recalling the grey smoke turning black as he left the building, the Texan said: 'Some people in pyjamas and one guy just had some sweatpants on.
'
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sweatpants → recall → pyjamas
At least I got my clothes.
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I → get → clothes
I didn't get my bag.
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I → get → bag
I don't have my passport.'
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I → have → passport
Mr Gardner said he was outside for about four hours before guests were given somewhere to stay.
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guests → say → hours
He later arrived at Three Hills Sports Park, where people gathered in a hall while the hotel remained evacuated.
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hotel → arrive → hall
The Grand Burstin Hotel was previously used to house around 130 asylum seekers in 2014 to ease overcrowding at a south London hotel.
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Hotel → use → hotel
The former Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe, Damian Collins, criticised the decision at the time and sought reassurance that the move was temporary.
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move → criticise → reassurance
The Home Office said the migrants would be in Folkestone for no more than two weeks.
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migrants → say → weeks
At the time, the then council leader David Monk said: 'We are reassured that the original timescale of the Home Office has been met.'
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timescale → say → Office
Mr Collins was told the government would pick up the cost of the decision.
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government → tell → decision
He said local people should not have to take in asylum seekers without consultation or notice.
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people → say → consultation
He claimed the decision had been made to quickly ease overcrowding in Croydon, and that the area had only been informed the day before about their arrival.
In 2019, 59 asylum seekers were housed at the hotel again due to an 'emergency measure'.
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seekers → claim → measure
Folkestone and Hythe District Council said the migrants were housed temporarily under 'extenuating circumstances'.
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migrants → say → circumstances
The local authority described it as a 'one-off situation' and said the beds had been vacated the following night, according to KentOnline.
The Grand Burstin Hotel currently operates as a commercial hotel open to the public.
uncertain
Hotel → describe → public
A KFRS spokesman said: 'Ten fire engines remain at the scene of a fire at the Grand Burstin Hotel in The Harbour, Folkestone.
'
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engines → say → Harbour
Crews wearing breathing apparatus have worked hard to bring the fire under control and are now dampening down any remaining hotspots.
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Crews → wear → hotspots
'It's believed the fire started in the basement of the property, but the cause is not yet known.
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cause → believe → property
Around 280 people were evacuated from the building and a welfare centre was organised by Folkestone and Hythe District Council.
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centre → evacuate → Folkestone
'No fire-related injuries have been reported,' the spokesman added.
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spokesman → relate → ?
Members of KFRS' Volunteer Response Team were on hand to offer advice and support, while the Salvation Army provided welfare support to crews.
Road closures remained in place while emergency services dealt with the incident.
Kent Police said officers were called at around 1.20am on Saturday, September 19, to reports of a fire at a hotel on Marine Parade in Folkestone.
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officers → offer → Folkestone
Officers remained at the scene to assist with traffic flow while KFRS tackled the blaze.
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KFRS → remain → blaze
Police have now said the fire is being treated as suspicious and appealed for witnesses as inquiries into the circumstances continue.
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inquiries → say → circumstances
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
