Hotel blaze
FIREFIGHTERS from all over South Devon battled a blaze at a derelict Torquay hotel on Sunday night.
The alarm was raised when fire was seen on the first floor at the Dorchester Hotel in Daddyhole Road just after 8.30pm. By 10pm the second and third floors of the building were said to be well alight.
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hotel
Ann Chambers, who could see the blaze from her home in the Lincombes area of the town, said: "The fire has really taken off and is well alight.
"It’s horrible to see. It’s like a scene from a film and is all lit up. You can see the flames from all over."
Nearby resident, Jason Acreman, 28, said: "My friend rang me saying he could see smoke billowing high into the air. The smoke is thick and black and we have just been standing out ever since watching the firefighters."
Another resident, who didn't want to be named, said: "It's incredible. There have been fires at this hotel before and it has been lying derelict for many years. The flames are engulfing the hotel. The whole area has been cordoned off and people are being evacuated. It has been going on for a few hours now and people are just standing around watching. The sky has turned orange with the flames."
An aerial platform was sent from Exeter to help tackle the blaze. Fire crews from Torquay, Paignton, Totnes, Newton Abbot, Brixham and Teignmouth were also called to the scene. By 10.30pm there were 14 fire appliances at the scene.
DO YOU have pictures or video of the Dorchester Hotel fire? Email newsdesk@heraldexpress.co.uk, call 01803 676223 or send pictures direct from your mobile phone. Dial 65100 and include HE PIC or HE VID in the message.
20 Comments
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by ian walters, tq2 5ye
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 9:12AM
“All sounds very suspicious. However the availability of fire insurance for unoccupied buildings is very costly and probably impossible to obtain.”
by Andy, United Kingdom
Monday, March 09 2009, 9:45PM
“a lot of empty flats,,a lot more empty hotels i think,,and with compnies like travelodge moving into town a lot more to come, the council need to make quick decisions on empty commercial properties,give them permission to redevlop and change the use quickly,,this will stop the dereliction of biuldings”
by Kim And Chelsea, Paignton
Monday, March 09 2009, 7:07PM
“We watched it, saw it from paignton seafront, Traveled over too see what was happening! Was a very big shock 2 us! We were stood there thinking to ourselfs we hope no1s in there!!”
by Spudbasher, Torbay
Monday, March 09 2009, 4:06PM
“I hope the planners insist that the developers do NOT proceed to build flats as the previous planning application were for. We need hotells in the bay not flats, there are enough "empty" flats here already.”
by Observant, Torbay
Monday, March 09 2009, 3:42PM
“This is a national problem and in all cases the developer is the person who must pay the cost of the Fire service attendance not the taxpayer . But in a lot of cases there are a lot of greased palms, you can bet your life some one local has an interest”