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Deeside fire: Guests evacuated from Gateway to Wales Hotel Deeside fire: Guests evacuated from Gateway to Wales Hotel
(35 minutes later)
Nearly 50 guests have been evacuated from a hotel in Deeside as emergency services tackle a serious fire that has engulfed the building A serious fire that engulfed a hotel in Deeside, causing nearly 50 guests to be evacuated, has been put out by firefighters.
Forty-five firefighters are trying to control a fire in the roof of the Gateway to Wales Hotel on Welsh Road near Queensferry in Flintshire. An investigation is due to start into what caused the blaze in the roof of the Gateway to Wales Hotel on Welsh Road near Queensferry in Flintshire.
The alarm was raised at about 04:30 GMT and billowing smoke is causing significant disruption on nearby roads. Sealand Primary School has been closed. Forty-five firefighters brought the fire under control after the alarm was raised at about 04:30 GMT. Nobody was injured.
Nobody has been injured. Roads and a nearby school were closed.
North Wales fire service said all 47 guests and a member of staff had been accounted for.North Wales fire service said all 47 guests and a member of staff had been accounted for.
Area manager Kevin Roberts, the senior office at the scene, said they all got to safety after the hotel's smoke alarms were activated.Area manager Kevin Roberts, the senior office at the scene, said they all got to safety after the hotel's smoke alarms were activated.
He said crews had "pretty much surrounded" the fire, which had engulfed the roof.
"The roof structure itself is pretty much gone," he added."The roof structure itself is pretty much gone," he added.
An investigation into the cause of the fire will be carried out later. Fire crews are now damping down the building and an investigation into the cause of the fire will be carried out later on Monday.
Hotel guest Barbara from Heywood in Greater Manchester, who had been visiting her son to exchange Christmas presents, praised the night manager for carrying her disabled brother-in-law out of the burning hotel.Hotel guest Barbara from Heywood in Greater Manchester, who had been visiting her son to exchange Christmas presents, praised the night manager for carrying her disabled brother-in-law out of the burning hotel.
"By the time we got outside the whole roof was alight, " she said."By the time we got outside the whole roof was alight, " she said.
"We're very, very lucky and thankfully it wasn't full. It had a lot of people in but it wasn't full. So everyone got out.""We're very, very lucky and thankfully it wasn't full. It had a lot of people in but it wasn't full. So everyone got out."
Danny Lawton, who lives in a block of flats next to the hotel with his girlfriend and their baby, said he was woken at 05:00 by police banging on the door to tell him to leave the building. Danny Lawton, who lives in a block of flats next to the hotel with his girlfriend and their baby, said he was woken at 05:00 by police banging on the door.
"When we went outside you couldn't tell it was a winter night as the heat coming off the fire was immense," he said."When we went outside you couldn't tell it was a winter night as the heat coming off the fire was immense," he said.
"When we came outside the whole roof and top floor was on fire on the side facing our building."When we came outside the whole roof and top floor was on fire on the side facing our building.
"People who had nowhere to go were instructed to go to the fire station for shelter if needed. "People who had nowhere to go were instructed to go to the fire station for shelter if needed."
"The whole surrounding area was just full of smoke and flashing blue lights."
Welsh Road and Station Road are closed while the A494, which had been closed eastbound to the east of Queensferry, has reopened, although traffic is heavy.Welsh Road and Station Road are closed while the A494, which had been closed eastbound to the east of Queensferry, has reopened, although traffic is heavy.
Flintshire council said it anticipated heavy congestion in the area and suggested some roads would remain closed for at least six hours. Flintshire council said it anticipated heavy congestion in the area and suggested some roads would remain closed into the afternoon.
Nearby Sealand Primary School has been closed for the day.Nearby Sealand Primary School has been closed for the day.
Councillor Christine John, who lives on Welsh Road, said the fire must have been "dreadful" and "so frightening" for the guests.Councillor Christine John, who lives on Welsh Road, said the fire must have been "dreadful" and "so frightening" for the guests.
"There's just an awful lot of blue lights there now and an awful lot of billowing smoke. It looks so scary," she added.
North Wales Police tweeted: "Please use alternative route as long delays are expected."North Wales Police tweeted: "Please use alternative route as long delays are expected."
A Welsh Ambulance Service spokeswoman said it sent four ambulances, two rapid response vehicles, two duty officers and a hazardous area response team.A Welsh Ambulance Service spokeswoman said it sent four ambulances, two rapid response vehicles, two duty officers and a hazardous area response team.