Brighton seafront fire: Demolition begins following blaze at the Royal Albion Hotel

The blaze broke out on Saturday, July 15, and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that firefighters from Preston Circus, Newhaven, Hove, Lewes, Eastbourne, Pevensey, as well as appliances from West Sussex were called to the hotel.

A spokesperson for Brighton and Hove City Council had said: “Our Building Control Team are on site and contractors will begin the demolition of the damaged section of the building as soon as possible. We’re anticipating the demolition will take two to three weeks.

“The demolition is to help the fire service’s access to the site, as parts of the building are no longer structurally safe.

“UK Power Networks and Southern Gas networks are on scene to ensure that that all electrical and gas are isolated and made safe prior to any work progressing.

“Asbestos is known to be in the textured ceiling coatings used in the building but there is unlikely to be any significant risk of exposure to asbestos following this fire.

“The area around the hotel has been cordoned off and our on-site contractor will continually assess the risk

“Unfortunately, the properties directly behind the Albion Hotel will remain inaccessible due to the risk of falling debris during the demolition process. Anyone affected by this is able to contact our housing team for advice and support.

“We are grateful to residents and visitors for their ongoing patience and understanding.”

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