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| Witnesses say they saw someone in the building just before the fire [Pic: Avon Fire and Rescue] |
A derelict hotel in Weston-super-Mare is being demolished piece by piece following a severe fire, amid reports that two people were seen in the building shortly before the blaze started.
More than 40 firefighters tackled the fire on Wednesday evening at the former Royal Pier Hotel. Avon Fire and Rescue Service received over 30 emergency calls about the incident, and crews were faced with a well developed fire when they arrived.
Because of the instability of the building, firefighters tackled the fire from outside and took around three hours before it was under control.
Visual inspections were carried out on Thursday morning using an aerial appliance and a police helicopter. Although these did not provide any signs that there was someone in the building, Avon Fire and Rescue Service were unable to rule out anyone being trapped.
Fire and police investigators are working to investigate the cause of the fire and establish whether there were any victims.
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