A FIRE in a building next to a derelict historic hotel is thought to have been started deliberately.

Shocked residents from across Droitwich saw smoke pouring from the rear of the Raven Hotel in St Andrews Road, after a fire broke out.

The severe fire caused extensive damage to the first floor and roof space and spread to nearby conifer trees.

Fire crews arrived just before 7pm last night (Monday) to put out the fire and remained on the site until 10.15pm.

Town councillor Bob Brookes said: "I felt shock and horror when I heard about the fire because I thought it was the Raven Hotel but it was actually a building towards the back of the site.

"I saw the building on fire with smoke coming out of it."

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The two-storey building which caught on fire is on the same site but detached from the Raven Hotel and was previously used as a leisure centre.

 

However, Cllr Brookes said a lot of residents in Droitwich were left feeling very concerned after hearing about the fire. 

"I was concerned it was the Raven Hotel site because it has so much important history.

"But I was relieved when I realised it wasn't any of the important buildings on the site."

Cllr Brookes also praised the fire crew for their prompt response.

He said: "The fire crew were on the scene very quickly and very efficiently. 

"They had the situation under control."

A spokesperson from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue said: "Two crews from Droitwich Fire Station were joined by two crews from Worcester along with the aerial ladder platform from Worcester and the incident command unit from Wyre Forest after numerous calls about the incident.

"They responded to reports of smoke issuing from a two-storey, derelict, thatched building, measuring approximately 20m by 15m, accessed off St Andrews Road behind a former hotel.

"It turned out to be a severe fire affecting all the first floor and roof space with the flames spreading towards large conifer trees.

"A water relay was in use and the incident was sectorised.

"Crews wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire with main jets and a hose reel jet while the aerial ladder platform was used to check for hot spots.

"The fire was extinguished with crews cutting away and dampening down before they left the incident at 10.14pm.

"A reinspection at midnight by a Droitwich crew using a thermal imaging camera revealed no hot spots.

"There were no casualties and the police were informed with arson suspected as the cause of the fire."