DANGER: “Keep out” plea over Sidmouth blaze hotel

FIREFIGHTERS and police fear Sidmouth’s Fortfield Hotel now poses an even greater inferno risk and have told trespassers: “Stay away.”

Concerned residents spotted someone trying to enter the derelict building on Tuesday- only days after it was ravaged by fire.

Emergency services are fearful another blaze could break out after they waged a massive battle to tackle flames last Thursday.

“We’ve been extremely lucky once, I’m not that much of a gambler to think we’ll get away with it again,” fire service group manager Adge Tilke told the Herald. “The whole thing is more hazardous than it was before. It’s significantly more unstable.

“Much of the building still stands and all of the fire risks still exist. It is still a great concern to us.

“It was dangerous before. Whole sections of roof have collapsed. Now it’s a whole lot more dangerous. I would urge anybody to stay away.

“The fact is, it continues to be used by youths and the homeless population.

“We’ve had a large fire with no casualties. It would be a tragedy to have a fatality post fire.”

Concerned Police Sergeant Andy Turner added: “These places do attract people, they always have and always will. From experience, the inevitable accident, injury or death will occur in places such as this.

“People should go nowhere near the property.

“We had a report on January 4 someone was trying to enter the hotel, despite it being obvious there had been a major fire.

“Residents are ringing us if they see people and I would urge them to keep doing so.”