Smoke seen issuing from the chimney of a derelict building in Sandown – The Ocean Hotel – has prompted a large scale response from fire, police and ambulance crews this afternoon (Thursday).
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has mobilised appliances from Newport, Ryde and Southsea to the Esplanade at Sandown amid fears yet another fire has broken out within the run-down and fire struck building.
Police and paramedics have also responded to the seafront – but the situation isn’t quite as it seems.
Island Echo understands that an individual trespassing inside the former hotel has lit a fire within the fireplace, leading to white smoke being seen rising from the chimney.
With fears of persons trapped inside the building alleviated, fire and ambulance crews are now standing down – but Police remain on scene hunting down the person responsible.
The alarm was raised at just before 14:50 and it is the 2nd time in less than 24 hours that firefighters have responded to the troublesome Ocean Hotel site.
Southsea’s appliance is thought to be standing by on the Isle of Wight to ensure adequate fire cover.
Hollowpoints would prove a point to the scum involved…
What, you don’t like violence as the answer to arson?
Snowflakes.
White smoke coming out the chimney maybe we’ve got a new pope
A pope smoking dope by the sound of it!
Peter the four skin eater
Are we that short of retained fire fighters that we have to to call in Southsea to cover. No Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor or Bembridge stations to cover?
Plenty of highly paid managers to drive desks though no doubt!
Southsea?????? Where’s the islands firemen?
House next door to me has smoke coming out of the chimney should I also call the fire brigade?
I wouldn’t bother the engine will probably have to come from Winchester!
I wish the owners would sort this out it’s wasting valuable firefighters time!
Nobody knows who the owners are, that’s the problem.
Possibly it is someone very close to the Council, and just using vandals to make life so bad for residents nearby, that WHEN a planning app goes in to pull the whole lot down, then no objections about the loss of a beautiful building as there would have been without years of damage.
They are more devious than most of you know.
Paramedics and ambulance again sent without even a casualty while those needing an Ambulance have to wait hours.
Given the amount of aggravation this causes, the amount of wasted emergency service resource and the risk of harm to others due to its increasing dereliction, the council should, if it can’t hold the owners to account, exercise its CPO (compulsory purchase order) powers to acquire the property, make it safe and bring it back into use.
Purchase from whom? that’s the problem, if you don’t know who owns it then you can’t buy it.
The freehold is owned by Windlestone Technology Ltd. The company had been struck off the register of companies at Companies House but was just restored last month. The company bought the freehold for £50,000 in September 2022.
But if you don’t know, then assume can take control by Council and sort. If not registered who owns then alleged owners can’t at later date prove anything. See process and difficulty just selling house.
Is IW fire cover inadequate today if the Southsea Appliance has been sent over to stand by ?
Looks like it was a persons reported so 4 appliances to the hotel leaving one appliance to cover the island until Southsea gets over.
What if there was another house fire or RTC?
Retained cover looks nonexistent. Has there been cut backs since the merger of iow and Hampshire?
Time to bulldoze this eyesore.
Let’s start a go fund me page
The hotel owners should pay for the services of the fire brigade. If an established buisness unwittingly has a false alarm they are fitted with the bill so to should the owners of ocean hotel.
It has been nippy a few nights in the last week, along with wet and miserable. Probably some homeless person.