Published: Thursday, 21st February, 2008 09:00
Forced out of their beds by hotel fire
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HOTEL guests fled their rooms in the early hours of Saturday when a faulty tumbler dryer went up in flames.
A night porter raised the alarm after smoke detectors went off at the Bayswell Hotel at 4 am.
Only three of the 20 bedrooms at the hotel had been let out and guests were able to return to their rooms within the hour.
Two fire crews from Dunbar and East Linton were quickly on the scene. They wore breathing kits to douse the flames, using a hose reel.
The fire was contained in an outbuilding close to the kitchen.
East Lothian fire chief, Robert Taylor, said he believed the laundry room sustained little smoke damage.
None of the residents was in danger as the fire broke out some distance away from the hotel building.
Oxygen treatment was not required by staff or residents.
Bayswell Hotel owner, George Doyle, who was abroad in Majorca at the time of the incident, said: “When I got back to the hotel from holiday and found out this had happened I was shocked.
“A fire is always a frightening thing to hear about but it was mostly out even before the fire brigade had arrived.”
Mr Doyle, who has owned the hotel for two years, said residents were never in danger.
“Our main concern is the safety of the guests, their safety is paramount, so we evacuated the building.
“There was no issue with safety to residents because the fire occurred in the laundry room which is an out building beside the hotel. None of it escaped into the hotel itself. ”
A gas powered tumble dryer appears to have been the catalyst for the blaze and management have now taken steps to install a new electrical dryer for industrial use.
“I am going to take advice about getting an electric tumble dryer,” said Mr Doyle.
“It appears it was just a malfunction with the gas one, the fire brigade said this kind of thing can happen.”
A relieved Mr Doyle had nothing but praise for his quick -thinking staff.
“The night porter did all the right things and the staff behaved appropriately – they did their jobs well.”
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