Woman dragged from Brighton hotel fire by guests (From The Argus)

Woman dragged from Brighton hotel fire by guests

10:50pm Wednesday 6th May 2009

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Two guests from a Brighton hotel are in hospital tonight, after a fire in a second floor bedroom.

Fire fighters said the blaze could have been started deliberately.

A woman who was staying in the room where the fire started, was dragged from the Premier Lodge hotel, on North Street, by other guests.

The 45-year-old was taken to hospital by ambulance after suffering burns.

Two further guests were given oxygen for smoke inhalation.

A man in his 40s was also taken to hospital.

The hotel was evacuated at around 9pm leaving dozens of guests on the street.

Brighton fire station manager Tony Gurr said: "The fire was in one of the rooms on the second floor.

"The fire was outside the bathroom and at the moment we would put the cause as doubtful.

"The police are investigating.

"Luckily enough the smoke alarms alerted the residents to the fire. There were a few stragglers that had to be evacuated by the fire and rescue service."

The whole second floor of the hotel was smoke-logged, but the fire was contained to one room.

A section of the hotel, around the room, was cordoned off by police to investigate whether the fire was arson.

Hotel guest Ian Burrell, of Leicester said: "I was on the third floor.

"The alarms went off at around 8.45pm.

"You could really smell the smoke as you went down the stairs."

The Premier Inn operations manager, known only as Lauren, said: "Two team members were also taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation, from helping to get the guest out of her room too.

"All other guests were able to re enter the building around 10.30pm, after the hotel paid for them to have drinks and to keep warm in a pub close to the hotel."

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