Massive Suffolk hotel fire under control

VIDEO A blaze that ripped through a Georgian hotel in Suffolk may have been started deliberately, fire officers have said.More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze at the Tarantella Hotel, in Sudbury Hall, Melford Road, Sudbury, after they were alerted to the inferno at 3.45am today.

A BLAZE that ripped through a Georgian hotel might have been started deliberately, fire officers have said.

More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze at the Tarantella Hotel, in Sudbury Hall, Melford Road, Sudbury, after they were alerted to the inferno at 3.45am.

A major clean-up operation is now under way as fire fighters start their bid to discover the cause of the blaze.

Traffic in the area has experienced delays as officers from Suffolk police direct motorists around the scene of the fire.

Suffolk Fire Service said the hotel was empty at the time of the fire.

A spokeswoman said: “An investigation has begun. It is suspected it may have been started deliberately but that's just an initial thought.''

Assistant chief fire fighter Mark Sanderson, who led the operation, said the roof of the building had been destroyed and the first and ground floors “severely'' damaged”.

The owners of the business - two Italian brothers - are on holiday and have been made aware of the incident, he said.

The Georgian hotel building has 12 bedrooms, an Italian restaurant and banqueting and conference rooms.

Mr Sanderson said the structure has been made safe and it will be possible to restore the building.

Fire crews are expected to remain at the scene dampening down the building to prevent the fire restarting.