A major fire broke out at the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone, Kent, early on Saturday morning, forcing the evacuation of around 280 guests and 90 residents from a neighbouring building. The blaze, which police and firefighters are treating as suspicious, destroyed much of the hotel and caused significant structural damage that raised safety concerns for adjacent properties. No casualties or injuries have been reported.

The fire started in the basement around 1am and required 26 fire engines to tackle it, with crews finding charred rubble, blackened walls and burnt-out vehicles outside. Eyewitnesses reported hearing explosions as the flames intensified, whilst some guests lost personal belongings including passports during the hasty evacuation. The Grand Burstin Hotel previously housed asylum seekers in 2014 and 2019 but currently operates as a commercial hotel; authorities are now working to find alternative accommodation for displaced residents whilst the building undergoes structural assessments.