Fire hit Blaenau Ffestiniog hotel 'looted'
The owners of a hotel hit by a devastating fire say the building was "looted" on Sunday night. Fire crews were scrambled to the Queens Hotel in Blaenau Ffestiniog shortly before 11.10am on Saturday as flames took hold of the building.
Six fire engines and an aerial ladder platform battled the blaze with roads closed off while emergency services worked at the scene. Everyone was safely evacuated but the fire has caused extensive damage to the property.
It has been devastating for owner Angi Scott and all the staff affected. She said they had "lost everything, except each other".
The community has rallied around them with a Gofundme set up to raise money - alongside hundreds of messages and offers of support.
But last night the hotel hit out on social media after saying someone had "looted" the burnt out property.
They posted on Facebook: "To whoever looted queens last night, the CCTV is now with police, security in building tonight and not only is the building dangerous, as a family we've lost everything, do you really want to be the person that takes the last little bit we have.
"Can people please let us know if there is anyone in there seen without a hard hat. We will be pressing charges."
Local residents were horrified at the news. One person said: "How low can you get?"
Another added: "How low can some people go! To take advantage of someone's loss and their livelihood. Shame on whoever did this."
One person posted: "Omg this is disgusting, vile."
North Wales Police have been asked to comment.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "At 11:09am on Saturday, 5th of July we were called to a fire in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Multiple crews and an Aerial Ladder Platform appliance attended the incident.
"The fire caused substantial damage to the property; however all guests and staff were evacuated safely after alarms were activated. Due to the extent of the damage, we are currently unable to carry out a more detailed fire investigation until a structural engineer has assessed the building and confirmed it is safe to enter. At this stage, the cause of the fire remains unknown." Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
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