House left completely gutted and hotel partly flooded in ‘suspected arson attack’
A house has been completely gutted by a fire which is being investigated as a suspected arson attack. The fire broke out in the early hours of Monday at Marlborough House on Newport Road in Cardiff and was burning for several hours before being brought under control.
Most of the disused building’s windows have been smashed and a huge section of the roof has now fallen in. Number One Hundred, the hotel next door, also suffered some smoke damage and flooding with kitchen equipment including the hotel’s two fridges badly damaged by water which flowed into the basement.
Abi Prothero, the owner of the hotel, said she wasn’t on site when the fire started but was quickly called there by a guest who was told to evacuate. She said: “Our kitchen, in the basement, is water damaged – and our fridges – but it could be worse. It’s been simple enough to repair so far, but we’ll find out when the structural engineer comes later.
“I’m hoping we can still host people for the rugby coming up. We have seven rooms and at the moment they’re all booked for the rugby.”
Huge sections of Marlborough House are now burnt out, with debris littered across the floor and furniture melted. No casualties were reported and neighbouring properties were evacuated. The derelict building, formerly a guest house and then a student house, had been put up for sale.
One next-door neighbour said on the morning of the fire: “I came outside and it was probably about 4.15am when I could go back in. It looked at one point like it wasn’t going to go out at all.
“My room got flooded as well because it’s underground, so it’s not a great day for me. Last night the water was on the carpet, now it’s a little better but all my stuff is outside.”
Fire crews and police attended the incident shortly after 1am and the road was closed for part of the morning. A spokesperson for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At approximately 1.22am we received reports of a fire in a derelict building on Newport Road in Roath, Cardiff.
“Multiple crews from fire and rescue stations across south Wales attended the scene alongside emergency service colleagues. Crews used specialist equipment, including an aerial ladder platform, ground monitor and hose reel jets, to extinguish the fire. A stop message was received at approximately 4.41am.”
A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: “Police in Cardiff are investigating a suspected arson attack after being called shortly after 1.30am concerning a fire at an unoccupied property on Newport Road, Cardiff. Officers attended and assisted in putting in place a full road closure.
“Neighbouring properties were evacuated as a precaution. The fire was brought under control within an hour. No casualties were reported.
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