Laundry fire at Llandrindod Wells Metropole hotel accidental
A fire that broke out in the laundry of Llandrindod Wells' Metropole hotel last week has been ruled accidental and the fire service has praised the property's effective fire safety measures, which it said prevented the spread of the fire.
An investigation into the fire at the 109-bedroom hotel in Powys on the evening of 13 April has determined that the cause of the fire was accidental.
The "significant" fire was brought under control and extinguished by firefighters from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, however the service said "effective fire safety measures at the hotel helped contain the fire to the room of origin and prevent a far more serious incident from developing".
A statement from the hotel said the fire did "no serious damage to the hotel other than the laundry where it broke out" and praised the professionalism of the fire service.
Cleaning crews, alongside hotel staff, are in the hotel preparing for the property's reopening. The reopening of indoor hospitality and visitor accommodation in Wales is not expected until after 17 May but is hoped to reopen in advance of the Spring Bank Holiday at the end of May.
Group manager Siôn Slaymaker, head of business fire safety for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Effective fire safety measures at the Metropole hotel have undoubtedly contributed to preventing escalation of this incident into one which could have had a catastrophic impact on the fabric of the building. Appropriately operating and well-fitting fire doors contained the fire to the room of origin and prevented any fire spread to other parts of the hotel.
"Additionally, a well-maintained and functioning fire detection system provided an early warning to the managers of the hotel, allowing them to call the fire service to deal with the fire at the earliest possible opportunity.
"As the country continues to emerge from lockdown, now is an ideal time for businesses to review their fire risk assessments to ensure that any Covid-safe measures do not adversely impact on fire safety management arrangements."
Photo: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
