Tourist dies in hotel fire

A British tourist lost his life in a fire that broke out with the blaze spreading quickly at the Halland Hotel in Ta' L-Ibrag, yesterday. None of the hotel staff and no one of the other residents was injured.

The tourist Stephen Northrop, 42 died as a result of smoke inhalation. Medical staff administered resuscitation but the man's body failed to respond.

The rest of the residents, 60 in all, were evacuated by the Civil Protection Department personnel who rushed to the hotel in full force.

The residents have been accommodated at the New Dolmen Hotel in Qawra.

The area in front of the Halland Hotel was crowded with 10 fire engines and several ambulances and police cars with the staff doing their utmost to save lives and comfort the survivors.

The only visible damage as one looked at the hotel was a broken window on the first floor.

Sources told The Times that the fire broke out in a boiler in the basement of the hotel at about 9 p.m. and the CPD personnel were on site within 10 minutes.

The fire spread quickly reaching the upper floors including the fifth floor were Mr Northrop was staying.

Peter Cordina, CPD director told The Times that he directed all the fire engines stationed at Hal Far, Xemxija, Kordin and Floriana to be on the spot and ordered staff who were on leave to be at the hotel. In all there were 30 CDP staff at Ta' L-Ibrag.

"This was a tough job and my men tackled this difficult and dangerous task with a great determination. Two of the residents were rescued from their rooms by the firemen down the ladders.

"One of the survivors is a four-year-old boy who had hidden under a bed fearing the flames," Mr Cordina added.

The boy was rushed to hospital.

Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, who went to the hotel as soon as he heard the news, told The Times that Mr Northrop was repeatedly told by the rescuers to go out on the balcony but he refused to do so.

"The rescuers did an extremely good job saving lives including that of an infant," the minister said. Mr Northrop's body was taken to hospital in a police hearse at about 11.15 p.m. after duty magistrate Joe Cassar had taken details for an inquiry.

The CPD personnel also looked after the hotel employees supplying them with oxygen masks.

Among the survivors was a cat that was later wrapped in a bed sheet and mouth fed because it seemed disorientated.