Police treating blaze at hotel that has previously been used to house migrants as suspicious - after 280 guests were evacuated in the middle of the night

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.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.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.Now, police and the fire service have said the fire is being treated as 'suspicious' - and they have appealed for witnesses.'Inquiries into the circumstances are underway and officers now believe the fire may have been caused deliberately,' police added.The fire sparked a major emergency response, with 26 fire engines and a specialist height vehicle being sent to the scene. Firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control before targeting remaining hotspots. No fire-related injuries have been reported so far. 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 seekersTen fire engines remained in the area overnight as crews continued to battle the blaze. Residents were urged to avoid the area and to close all windows and doors.An emergency welfare centre was organised at Three Hills Sports Park by Folkestone and Hythe District Council for locals affected by the fire. One guest had been staying on the first floor of the Grand Burstin Hotel when they were abruptly awoken by the fire alarm. They said: '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.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.'When we got here at 2am in the morning, there were people everywhere,' he said.'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 other injuries throughout the night.Emergency vehicles pictured at the scene in the early hours of Saturday morning Pictured: The charred remains of the lower level of the seafront hotel in 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. Jeff Gardner, 44, who was staying at the hotel as part of an ancestry trip, said he believed he heard a couple of 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.'At least I got my clothes. I didn't get my bag. I don't have my passport.'Mr Gardner said he was outside for about four hours before guests were given somewhere to stay.He later arrived at Three Hills Sports Park, where people gathered in a hall while the hotel remained evacuated.The Grand Burstin Hotel was previously used to house around 130 asylum seekers in 2014 to ease overcrowding at a south London 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.The Home Office said the migrants would be in Folkestone for no more than two 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.'Mr Collins was told the government would pick up the cost of the decision. He said local people should not have to take in asylum seekers without consultation or notice.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'.Folkestone and Hythe District Council said the migrants were housed temporarily under 'extenuating 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.A KFRS spokesman said: 'Ten fire engines remain at the scene of a fire at the Grand Burstin Hotel in The Harbour, Folkestone.'Crews wearing breathing apparatus have worked hard to bring the fire under control and are now dampening down any remaining hotspots.'It's believed the fire started in the basement of the property, but the cause is not yet known.'Around 280 people were evacuated from the building and a welfare centre was organised by Folkestone and Hythe District Council.'No fire-related injuries have been reported,' the spokesman added.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.Officers remained at the scene to assist with traffic flow while KFRS tackled the blaze.Police have now said the fire is being treated as suspicious and appealed for witnesses as inquiries into the circumstances continue.A Folkestone & Hythe District Council spokesman 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.'The council advised nearby residents to close all windows and doors, avoid the area, follow the instructions of emergency services and keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.A Britannia Hotels Group spokesman 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 cooperating with the authorities to support those affected and assist with the ongoing response.''Our advice to residents living nearby is to:Close all windows and doorsAvoid the area and do not attempt to approach the hotelFollow the instructions of emergency servicesKeep roads clear to allow emergency vehicles to access the areaA Home Office spokesman said: 'We have extensive checks and world leading technology protecting our borders at the Channel tunnel, and the number of illegal crossings through this route remain low.'Asylum claims from those entering illegally via lorry or car are also down by 25% in the past year.'Those who attempt to cross should be in no doubt you will be removed, with over 80,000 people with no right to be in the UK returned since the election.'Do you know what happened? E-mail: david.olaseinde@dailymail.co.uk