Body found after fire ravages landmark North Yorks hotel (From The Northern Echo)

Body found after fire ravages landmark North Yorks hotel

2:50pm Wednesday 5th May 2010 in News By Andy Walker

POLICE investigating a fire at a landmark hotel in North Yorkshire have discovered a body.

Emergency services were called to a fire at the Majestic Hotel in Ripon Road, Harrogate, at about 5.15am today.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the body is that of a member of hotel staff whose whereabouts has not been accounted for.

Police said the missing man, who has not been named, finished work yesterday afternoon and was due to have a day off today.

His whereabouts is not currently known.

More than 130 guests and 25 staff were evacuated from the 170-room hotel.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: "We can now confirm that police and fire officers investigating the fire at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate have sadly located a body.

"The body was found on the fifth floor of the hotel.

"At this stage we are unable to confirm the identity and whether or not it is the member of staff who remained unaccounted for. "We will not be in position to release their name until formal identity has been carried out."

Hotel guests are this afternoon being allowed back into the hotel to retrieve their belongings.

Superintendent Ken McIntosh, safer neighbourhood commander for the Harrogate area, said: "At this stage the cause of the fire is not known and a full examination of the the scene will be carried out by fire investigators and police.

"It is too early to say if there are any suspicious circumstances.

"At this stage, there is one person, a member of hotel staff, unaccounted for, enquiries are currently ongoing to locate the man. Until it is safe to enter the building and the area of the fire, we will not be in a position to confirm any casualties."

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Group Manager, John Foster added: "At 4.58am this morning North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) was called to the hotel, with reports of a fire on the top floor.

"Two Harrogate appliances quickly arrived on scene and requested assistance. 16 appliances are now on scene from NYFRS and West Yorkshire also, with three special aerial appliances and a number of supporting officers and equipment.

"We believe the fire to involve top floor bed rooms and the roof area with fire and smoke emitting and members of the public making over 13 repeated calls to the fire service.

"It is still too early to comment on a cause for the fire, but an investigation will commence in conjunction with North Yorkshire Police as soon as possible."