Cause of fire that led to 162 people being evacuated in west London remains unknown

This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

About 100 firefighters battled a fire at a five-storey hotel in west London where 162 guests and staff were evacuated.

Fifteen fire engines attended the Travelodge on Brentford High Street after the blaze began in a bin room adjacent to the the hotel during the early hours of Wednesday. The cause of the fire is not yet known and is being investigated by police and fire officers.

Plumes of smoke were seen rising from the building and concerns were raised by guests over the cladding encasing the exterior of the hotel. However, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) has indicated the blaze was not “cladding-related” and was working to salvage items from inside the hotel after the fire was extinguished.

“When firefighters arrived they were faced with a rapidly developing fire,” said the LFB assistant commissioner Graham Ellis. “A single-storey bin room on the ground floor was alight and the fire had already spread to an adjacent hotel of five floors.

“Fire crews’ offensive firefighting helped stop the fire spreading further and protected large parts of the building.”

London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) We've taken seventeen 999 calls to the hotel blaze in #Brentford. Latest https://t.co/KK5v6zXYHt 📽️ @capireg pic.twitter.com/XArcfllVCL

Reg Williams, who was staying at the Travelodge near Kew Bridge, said parts of the building covered in cladding were shrouded in smoke and that the fire had spread quickly.

“The fire crews had the hoses in that cladded area for ages,” he said. “I’m concerned that cladding is still attached to buildings … The fire was quite big; the flames were 20 metres high. It really went up quickly.”

An LFB spokesman said the blaze had spread to the hotel and “up five floors”. He told PA Media: “The fire was on the outside from what I gather. That is how it is looking.”

When asked whether the fire spread across the cladding, he added: “We would not give details until we have carried out an investigation.”

Later on Wednesday, he said: “The early indications are that it was not cladding-related.”

A Travelodge spokesman said: “Guests are being looked after locally and our team are now making arrangements for their future accommodation and support.”

In response to questions about cladding and how the fire spread, he said the company did not wish to “speculate” and that it was supporting the fire brigade.

The fire brigade was called at 2.52am and, with the support of staff from nearby fire stations, brought the blaze under control by 7am.

Hounslow council set up a rest centre and the high street in Brentford was closed in both directions between Green Dragon Lane and B455 Ealing Road. The London fire brigade asked members of the public to avoid the area if possible.

Hounslow council’s chief executive, Niall Bolger, said: “Our first concern is the safety of the people involved and we understand that there are no casualties and 162 people were safely evacuated from the hotel. We have officers at the scene to help those affected.

“We will continue to work with our partners in the emergency services, with Travelodge and the local community, and provide ongoing help and support.”