Hotel to close for up to two months after fire

Saints Bay Hotel suffered damage after a fire broke out in its kitchen at the weekend

A hotel in Guernsey could be closed for up to two months following a fire at the weekend.

The blaze at Saints Bay Hotel, in St Martin, is thought to have started with the kitchen's deep fat fryer, but investigations continue.

Two staff members, including the hotel's managing director, Ashraf Elsergany, were taken to hospital to be checked over, but have since been discharged.

Mr Elsergany said he hoped to be "up and running again" within the next two months at the latest.

Ashraf Elsergany hopes to be able to reopen the hotel within the next two months

Emergency services were called at about 07:20 on 21 September, to deal with the fire.

Mr Elsergany said he was woken up at 07:00 on Sunday morning by the chef banging on his door.

He attempted to extinguish it, but said it was so powerful: "It was like an evil in front of you you're trying to get rid of."

"It was getting bigger and bigger and it was so black you couldn't see anything except the fire," Mr Elsergany said.

He said he then rushed outside to check all the guests had been been safely evacuated.

Mr Elsergany praised the emergency services for the support he has received.

He said: "I really, really appreciate what they've done for us and from now, when I see the kitchen is up and running then I'll feel better."

The 35 guests were taken to the Styx Centre and alternative accommodation has since been found for all of them.

Ashraf Elsergany said he could only apologise to those with bookings between now and the Christmas period.

He said it included one guest who was due to stay in late October to celebrate his 90th birthday: "I'm really, really sorry, I really apologise for him, because he loved our hotel. We know him very well and he chose us and I'm sorry to let him down."