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Last Updated: Wednesday, 6 August, 2003, 15:27 GMT 16:27 UK
Arson suspected for hotel fire
Hotel on fire
The building was due to be demolished
Investigators believe arsonists may be responsible for a large fire at a derelict hotel in Torbay.

About 60 firefighters used hoses and breathing apparatus to tackle the incident at the Hunter's Moon Hotel in Torquay on Tuesday evening.

The building, which is in Babbacombe Road, was awaiting demolition.

There were reports of people inside, but no one was found by firefighters searching the building.

Fifteen appliances and an aerial platform from Devon Fire and Rescue Service attended the incident.

Arson investigation

Police say witnesses saw two youths in the area around the time the fire started at about 1800 BST.

Devon Fire and Rescue Service said the Arson Task Force has been called in to investigate the start of the fire.

Divisional Officer Mike Blake said: "Upon our arrival, our crews were faced with a very severe fire.

"The condition of the building was very suspect in that it is due for demolition, and all the indications at the moment are that the fire is probably deliberate.

"What I would say, if it is does turn out to be deliberate, then what needs to be taken on board is that we were told that there were four people possibly inside that building.

"We committed crews into what was a very dangerous situation on that basis and we had the potential to lose firefighters."


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