Sauna fire causes evacuation of hotel
A FIRE in a hotel sauna next to Heathrow Airport forced people to flee wrapped in duvets and towels, according to witness reports.
Dozens of fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles were pictured in Bath Road near the airport’s north perimeter on Monday February 18.
At 4.12pm London Fire Brigade were alerted to a blaze in a hotel on the road.
At least 60 firefighters and eight fire engines have been involved in the battle to get the flames under control.
A sauna and plant room have been destroyed by the fire.
One witness told the Gazette that people evacuated from the hotel – thought to be the Radisson Blu – had to wrap themselves in duvets and towels because of the sudden fire.
The witness said at 6.40pm: “Apparently people were coming out wrapped in duvets and towels.
“People are being refused entry and being sent back to McDonald’s [which is nearby].”
Bath Road was not closed, the witness added, but one lane was shut to traffic, according to the AA.
Graham, another witness, said he gave up counting the number of fire engines when he saw an endless stream heading to the rear of the hotel.
He said: “We saw some engines go to the rear of the hotel and stopped counting at nine, plus three incident response units.”
At 6.13pm he saw some firefighters beginning to pack up hoses.
This is the same time the fire brigade say the blaze was brought under control.
There were no reports of anyone being injured from the smoke or the flames, the fire brigade added.
In its last full statement, at 7.08pm, London Fire Brigade said: “Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters were called to a fire at a hotel in Bath Road, Heathrow.
“A ground floor sauna and plant room were destroyed by the blaze.
“Around 200 hotel guests and around 120 staff left the building before the Brigade arrived. There were no reports of any injuries. The brigade was called at 4.12pm, the fire was under control by 6.13pm.
“Fire crews from Hayes, Feltham, Hillingdon and surrounding areas fire stations attended.
“The cause of the fire is under investigation.”
Photos on the Radisson Blu website show a wooden sauna in the hotel’s spa, which might explain why the flames proved so difficult to extinguish.
The London Ambulance Service has been contacted for confirmation there were no casualties from the fire or the resulting smoke.