Key facts
- A fire broke out at the Grand Burstin hotel in Folkestone, Kent, early on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
- Around 280 people were evacuated from the hotel.
- The fire is believed to have started in the basement.
- No fire-related injuries have been reported.
- Kent police are treating the cause of the blaze as suspicious.
- The hotel has 550 rooms and overlooks Folkestone's harbour.
Hundreds of people were evacuated from the Grand Burstin hotel in Folkestone, Kent, after a large fire broke out overnight. Emergency services were alerted shortly after 1am on Saturday, September 19, 2026, to the blaze, which is believed to have originated in the basement. Approximately 280 individuals were safely removed from the building.
Kent fire and rescue service dispatched 26 fire engines to the scene, with 10 remaining to manage the situation and dampen down remaining hotspots. Folkestone and Hythe district council established a welfare centre at Three Hills Sports Park to support those affected.
No injuries related to the fire have been reported. Kent police are in attendance to assist with traffic management and are investigating the cause of the fire, which they are treating as suspicious. The Grand Burstin hotel, which has 550 rooms, is situated on the seafront overlooking Folkestone's harbour. Some guests reported hearing what they believed to be explosions after evacuating.