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| Man critical after blaze at hotel | Man critical after blaze at hotel |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A 45-year-old man is critically ill in hospital and three others are feared missing after a large fire at a disused hotel. | A 45-year-old man is critically ill in hospital and three others are feared missing after a large fire at a disused hotel. |
| Firefighters called to the Grange Hotel, Rhyl, at around 2145 GMT on Tuesday took four hours to bring the blaze under control. | |
| Twelve fire engines were used to deal with the blaze, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said. | Twelve fire engines were used to deal with the blaze, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said. |
| Police said a firefighter from Prestatyn suffered superficial burns. | Police said a firefighter from Prestatyn suffered superficial burns. |
| The area was cordoned off by police following the fire on East Parade. | The area was cordoned off by police following the fire on East Parade. |
| The fire service said the person had been rescued from the property shortly before 2300 GMT and had been taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital by ambulance. | The fire service said the person had been rescued from the property shortly before 2300 GMT and had been taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital by ambulance. |
| When they arrived, firefighters had found one side of the three-storey hotel already well-alight but went in to carry out a search. | |
| They found one man who is believed to have suffered smoke inhalation. | |
| Deputy Chief Fire Officer Chris Ennes said: "He was at the rear of the building, early indications let us know that it was on the first floor when we dragged him out. | |
| The building might even be pulled down, that will take some time and that's obviously quite a complex operation for the fire service. Supt Nick Snape | |
| "However, whether he was alone or not we do not have that information at the moment." | |
| It is understood the man had indicated there had been three other people in the disused hotel with him. | |
| But, information the man gave to firefighters about other casualties could not be relied upon, said Mr Ennes, because of the state he was in when rescued. | |
| Firefighters were forced to abandon their search, as Mr Ennes explained: "Part of our the building was collapsing on our fire crews and... we had an emergency where we had to evacuate the building." | |
| The 28-bedroom hotel, which is boarded up, is believed to have closed last year and a sign outside indicates it is for sale. | |
| Since its closure, it is understood there have been problems with people breaking in and squatting there. | |
| Supt Nick Snape, of North Wales Police, said it could be some time before it can be established whether anyone had been killed in the fire. | |
| He said: "First of all, they'll make a structural assessment... the building might even be pulled down, that will take some time and that's obviously quite a complex operation for the fire service. | |
| "When they make it safe then we will go in, our detectives, investigators will go in with the fire investigators and commence the full investigation and search and of course the search will have to be methodical and very careful because we're looking to see if there's anybody else in there." | |
| On Wednesday morning firefighters were seen making visual checks above the building from a cherry picker. | |
| Part of the promenade near the Rhyl Sun Centre remained cordoned off. | |
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| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |