AN ELECTRICAL fault is being blamed for a fire in a Margate seafront arcade at the weekend.

Fire crews were called to the Dreamland arcade at about 10pm on Saturday and it took around 90 minutes to bring it under control.

The arcade, housed in a building owned by Jimmy Godden, was not too badly damaged as the flames were confined to the electrical room.

Leading firefighter Steve Quincey said about 100 people had to be evacuated from the Oriental Buffet which is above the arcade and the cinema which is housed behind it.

Three pumps and a turntable engine were sent to the scene and police were also called in to control traffic.

Fire fighter Quincey said: “The inside of the electrical room was quite badly damaged but Seeboard were called in and had it repaired very quickly.”