Guests Evacuated After Fire Erupts at Popular Southsea Hotel
Chaos hit a busy Southsea hotel this evening as a fire broke out in its laundry room. The emergency call came in at 4.57pm, prompting staff to swiftly evacuate all guests while firefighters raced to the scene.
Fire Crews Swarm to Tackle Blaze
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service confirmed crews from Southsea, Cosham, Portchester, Havant, and Fareham were on site within minutes. Around 30 firefighters battled the ground-floor blaze using breathing apparatus, jets, and hose reels.
“Firefighters were called just before 5pm to a fire involving the laundry room of a hotel on South Parade,” the fire service said.
Building Evacuated as Smoke Spreads
The six-floor hotel was completely evacuated. Smoke spread beyond the laundry room, but the fire was contained to the ground floor. Ventilation fans were deployed to clear the thick smoke.
Hampshire Constabulary helped manage traffic during the operation. Fire crews began scaling back at 7.06pm, though one engine will return later tonight for a re-inspection.
Investigation Underway
A full fire investigation is now underway to establish the cause of the blaze.
