Hotel evacuated

Guests staying at the hotel Playa Esperanza on the Playa de Muro were evacuated from their hotel early yesterday morning after a fire broke out in the laundry area. According to police sources, a total of 660 hotel guests were evacuated at 7.30 am when the alarm was raised. The Inca and Can Picafort fire brigades and a number of local police and Guardia Civil units rushed to the scene and an immediate evacuation of the hotel was ordered while firemen tackled the blaze. Hotel manager Jose de Luna said yesterday that as soon as the smoke was reported, the emergency evacuation plan was put into operation. De Luna also said that the fire started when a GESA electricity cable burnt out for reasons which have yet to be confirmed. While firemen brought the blaze under control, the guests were served breakfast in the hotel garden before being allowed to return to their hotel rooms. Only one of the 660 guests had to be treated for effects of smoke, otherwise the evacuation was carried out in an orderly fashion and there were no other incidents. Fire chiefs said yesterday that the fire caused minimal damage and the hotel returned to normal yesterday morning.