Firefighters are working to extinguish a fire that has broke out at Hanover House on the site of the Royal York Hotel in Ryde this evening (Wednesday).
4 appliances from Ryde, Sandown and Newport are on scene at George Street, where smoke is billowing out of a 1st floor window.
Crews wearing breathing apparatus and equipped with hose reel jets are fighting the fire both externally and internally.
Hanover House is situated beside the Royal York Hotel – a long-term derelict building that has recently been undergoing refurbishment.
Island Echo reported on Monday that windows had been smashed inside Hanover House with Police attending the scene, but no suspects were located.
George Street – between the Esplanade and Cross Street – has been closed to traffic and pedestrians. Southern Vectis buses are diverting as a result.
UPDATE @ 19:30 – 4 breathing apparatus sets and 2 hose reels are being utilised in a bid to contain and extinguish the fire, with a nearby hydrant being tapped into.
The Incident Command Unit from Newport is now also on scene.
Police officers have arrived at George Street due to the suspicious nature of the incident.
UPDATE @ 20:00 – The Aerial Ladder Platform from Newport is now also on scene as the firefighting efforts continue.
The cause remains unknown at this time, but initial investigations are underway.
UPDATE @ 21:54 – The fire has been fully extinguished and crews are now standing down from the incident.
George Street has reopened.
Police are expected to probe the cause of the fire further.
Firemen having to risk their lives yet again, just because of people’s greed, no doubt.
Don’t worry it won’t arson!
Why oh why can we not sort out these greedy businesses owners? Can’t the iow council get there arses in gear? Risking fire fighters lives for a building that should have been renovated soooo long ago! RANT OVER.
The Isle of Wight council are probably just as bad how many empty properties and brownfield land sites do they own (probably paid for from our council tax over the years) ?
They don’t own anything
Its all paid for by tax payers
Your usual island arsenists. Island echo just admit the firebrigade came from the mainland. We no too well the island has absolutely shameful emergency services. We know that if it was the island firebrigade, one man would be sent with a cup of water to put it out
All of our emergency service staff risks their lives every day for the rest of us, despite cutbacks the staff give their all. You will find this out when you need their help, they even carry on helping those who insult, assault and abuse them. You should post an apology.
It is definitely the Isle of Wight fire service there not the mainland you do know we have our own fire service on the island and do a good job. Get your head out of your behind.
Well let’s hope you don’t need us shit fire fighters then. You can wait for thw mainland ones to pop over
they would be faster thats for sure
Well, Well, Well, don’t worry even if the police turn up, it won’t be arson. Never is over here, even with so much evidence in front of their noses. The council will step in and say, no it wasn’t arson, and if you say it is, we will cut your precept next year. FACT! Let’s see how this fire pans out shall we.
I think they mean its come from Southampton. I bet mainland firefighters dread coming to Alcatraz
I’m a tad confused as to why you think that the Fire Brigade came over from the mainland it appears you have a low opinion of the Island, if thats the case may I offer you use of my ferry timetable so you can make arrangements to pack up & head back to the mainland
Thank you for the offer G Smiley but thank god i escaped Alcatraz a few weeks ago
That’s good then have a nice life .Not
this was the place that “vandals” were apparently in the other day that news reports indicated police turning up.
guess they were disturbed setting it alight then, only to return today – strange these fires happening – who has the insurance on them.
Burn it to the ground let Spyker get the insurance money he is waiting for sell it redevelop it and then make it something to be proud of. repeat process for the grand . dont know why he holds onto these places
The owner needs to be forced to sort the buildings out! Clearly he doesn’t care, as for renovating it he’s a cowboy, the scaffolding has been up a long time & I’ve only ever seen one man painting it at any given time. He owns property in Sandown too in the same sorry state, he’s no intention of renovating it as had it years the buildings are in a terrible state
How strange, someone was reported as entering there 2 days ago
coincidence i think not
What is sad is that The Royal York and The Grand Hotel at Sandown if restored would make fantastic Art Deco hotels and probably make a fortune. Both owned by the same person and both have had fires recently. I am at a total loss to understand why anyone would not get these buildings up and running again rather than letting them get in such a state.
Likely not developed as the owner knows the plot is worth far more than the building.
Issue is, today, what with the stringent rules on buildings having to cater for disabled, sound and heat insulation and ironically fire regs, the cost and inpractibility of converting old, beautiful buildings is so very costly, it is far more profitable to destroy them completely.
If listed then this becomes difficult, whereas if burnt down, job done.
Also, as the council do, leave a building or land to be vandalised for years, and the public will gladly accept flats covering that site of rubbish, fire, noise, crime and eyesores.
All a ploy
Pure bad luck, couldn’t possibly be arson, we dont have this sort of thing on the island.
That was sarcasm if you’re in any way confused.
Planning application sent in the morning after.
I wonder what Nick Spyker is up to these days? I had the misfortune of working in some of his nightclubs in the late 80s and he was an ‘up his butt little devil’ then. God knows how much £ he made. I guess he’d be in his 60 or 70s now – no doubt shacked up in a nice Carribean dream home and clearly doesn’t give a sh*t about his properties here. He should do the right thing and do them up/sell them on sensibly etc etc.