Story perspectives

Kent Police Treat Grand Burstin Fire as Suspected Arson

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 10:22 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Britannia Hotels evacuated about 280 guests from the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone after a basement fire.
Kent Police are treating the blaze as suspected arson and have opened an investigation.
Twenty-six fire engines and a height-vehicle responded to the scene.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council established a welfare centre at Three Hills Sports Park for evacuated guests.
No fire-related injuries were reported among the evacuated guests.

History

Historical Context

The MGM Grand fire on 21 November 1980 in Paradise, Nevada killed 85 people and injured about 650 among roughly 5,000 guests. The disaster, the deadliest in Nevada and third-worst U.S. hotel fire after the 1946 Winecoff Hotel blaze and the 1986 Dupont Plaza fire, spurred Nevada to adopt mandatory sprinklers, smoke detectors and evacuation maps for all public buildings.

1 of 2

Story summary

Britannia Hotels evacuated about 280 guests from the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone after a basement fire.
Kent Police are treating the blaze as suspected arson and have opened an investigation.
Twenty-six fire engines and a height-vehicle responded to the scene.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council established a welfare centre at Three Hills Sports Park for evacuated guests.
No fire-related injuries were reported among the evacuated guests.

1 / 2