EXTENT OF WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S CYGNET HOTEL FIRE REVEALED

Daylight has revealed the extent of the damage caused to the disused Cygnet Hotel in Sandown after a blaze broke out late last night (Wednesday). Around 30 firefighters were mobilised to Carter Street in the town at 22:30 when fire control received reports of flames coming from the roof of the once-popular hotel, as first reported by Island Echo. Fire crews from Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor, Ryde and Newport worked defensively to contain and extinguish the fire using main jets, hose reel jets and thermal imaging cameras, but significant damage has been caused. The main fire damage appears to be located on the upper levels at the rear of the building – although smoke damage is throughout. The site at the junction with Broadway is being marketed at a development opportunity. Last night’s fire is the third such incident since April – and the second in the space of a week. This time, a total of 5 appliances, an Aerial Ladder Platform and the temporary Incident Command Vehicle were all sent in response to the 999 calls. Residents have been expressing their concerns that the Cygnet Hotel will now fall further into disrepair and become another blot on Sandown’s landscape, as many other hotels have become. The cause of the blaze is currently unknown. Broadway and Carter Street have reopened to all traffic this morning.