Royal Clarence Hotel to be demolished after devastating fire

The remains of the fire-ravaged Royal Clarence in Exeter are expected to be demolished this week after structural exerts said the remains cannot be saved.

The blaze at the property – described as ‘England’s oldest hotel’ – started at around 5am on Friday (28 October) morning after a fire broke out a nearby art gallery on Cathedral Yard.

At the height of the incident, 150 firefighters were at the scene with nearly 30 pumping appliances and the unprecedented measure was taken of using four aerial ladder platforms to prevent the fire spreading to other historic buildings.

Site inspections were carried out yesterday (October 30) by structural engineers and demolition work on the remainder the remainder of Royal Clarence Hotel is likely to start this week.

Lee Howell, chief fire officer, said: “This was an intense fire affecting several historically important buildings in the heart of the city. The complex nature of the building construction, especially the roof structure, made this a very difficult incident to deal with.

“I am very proud of the efforts of our firefighting, control, officer and support staff, many of whom worked extremely hard for extended periods of time without complaining during what were very challenging circumstances.”

“Due to the period in which the buildings were constructed, the gap between the back of the hotel and the adjacent properties was very narrow and the fire was threatening to bridge the gap and spread further.

“To prevent that from happening took courage and skill and they should all take credit that they did everything they could to stop the spread of the fire.”

Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service also thanked the city’s residents and business owners for their support during what it called a “major incident”.

Fire crews will stay in the area to dampen down hotspots, check for potential re-ignition and support the demolition process for “as long as necessary”.