Hotel fire that led to hundreds fleeing their rooms ‘deliberately’ started, police say

The fire is believed to have begun in the hotel’s basement sometime before 1am (Picture: Cover Images)

A hotel fire that caused around 280 guests to flee their rooms overnight was ’caused deliberately’, police believe.

Almost 300 people had to be evacuated from the Grand Burstin Hotel after the blaze triggered a major response from Kent’s emergency services.

It is believed the fire began in the 550-room hotel’s basement sometime before it was discovered at around 1am, according to Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

At its peak, 26 fire engines and dozens of firefighters battled to extinguish the fire while Folkestone and Hythe District Council set up a welfare centre to accommodate the guests.

Kent Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service also at...