Hundreds of guests staying at the De Vere Hotel at Wokefield Park in Basingstoke were forced to evacuate their rooms after the hotel went up in flames in the early evening of November 12.
The three-star hotel, which is located outside Reading, was engulfed with flames around 6pm, forcing more than 230 hotel guests and conference delegates to evacuate their room before being were taken by coaches to nearby hotels.
At least 13 fire engines rushed to the site, with a spokesman from Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service saying that the blaze started in a linen area on the ground floor of the building before spreading to the roof.
A large section of the hotel at Wokefield Park has been destroyed by the fire that took hold on November 12
Onlookers at the hotel, which boasts an 18-hole golf course and extensive conference facilities, described the fire as ‘enormous’ and the damage is expected to run into millions of pounds.
The site was originally an 18th century mansion house, but was later refurbished to contain 222 bedrooms and a conference centre. According to reports from the scene it is the newer conference centre and not the historic mansion house that caught fire.
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: “A lot of the main building complex caught fire. We believe that it broke out at about 6pm and spread very quickly. At this stage we do not know whether the fire started accidentally or is suspicious.”
Wokefield Park issued a statement on Twitter on November 13 which read: “Whilst there has been damage to some the bedrooms in one of the buildings, a large proportion of the venue is unaffected and is back in operation today. We are in communication with all guests and any clients that may be affected.”
The golf club is understood to operating as normal, but golfers should call the club directly if they are concerned about future bookings on 0844 980 2322.
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