Plumes of smoke could be seen for miles on Monday evening (April 24) after a derelict hotel in Blackpool caught fire yet again.
Emergency services raced to the scene at the seafront, on Queen's Promenade, to the fire which was tearing through the former New Hacketts hotel.
Dramatic pictures and videos from the scene show the usually-busy promenade completely blocked off, with a number of fire engines in attendance along with a specialist drone unit as thick smoke plumes billowed heavily overhead.
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The boarded up site was previously gripped by flames just last month, causing crews to block off the promenade once more for a number of hours on March 11. The fire service said they had launched an investigation following the fire shortly before 10pm.
However, since the building was closed down back in 2018, it has long suffered break ins and, in 2020, its ground floor was boarded up by the council following complaints from hoteliers and locals.
The site was the scene of yet another major blaze in February 2020 and then also in December 2020, when flames ripped through the upper floors of the building sparking a huge emergency services response.
And on Monday afternoon, as many as twelve fire engines raced to the scene, with police closing off the Promenade and multiple other roads nearby as smoke spilled out from the site. Local residents were urged to steer clear and close their windows for their own stafety.
An update from the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Twelve fire engines, two aerial ladder platforms, one stinger and the drone team are in attendance at a four storey derelict building fire on Queens Promenade, Blackpool. Firefighters are wearing breathing apparatus and using four jets to bring the fire under control. Firefighting operations are still underway.
"Several road closures are in place – Queens Promenade (in both directions), Gynn Avenue (in both directions), and Dickson Road (North bound). Trams have been stopped. If you can see or smell smoke, close windows and doors. Please stay away from the area."
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