AN investigation is under way into the second major fire at an empty Cliftonville hotel within a few days.

Shortly after 1am on Sunday, fire crews were called to a blaze at the Fort Lodge Hotel at Cliff Terrace, just a few hundred yards from the 100 year old Endcliffe Hotel in First Avenue that was wrecked by fire on Wednesday night.

More than 50 firefighters fought the blaze at the Fort Lodge, once regared as one of Kent’s premier seaside hotels and function venues, opposite the Margate Winter Gardens.

Two pumps were sent from Margate and Thanet fire stations initially but this was increased to ten appliances due to the severity of the blaze that was raging through the third and fourth floors.

Senior divisional officer Steve Demetriou was in charge of the incident. He said: "One jet and a hydrant were used and an aerial appliance was also on the scene and the fire was soon surrounded. Crews wearing breathing apparatus searched the building and, despite earlier reports, found no one inside.

"The crews did an excellent job in extinguishing the fire. The building has sustained serious damage and we have asked the building control officer to attend and assess the safety of the structure."

The cause of the fire is not yet known and police are now investigating.

The Endlciffe Hotel was demolished the day after the fire in the interests of public safety.

*Two 15 year old boys arrested and questioned in connection with the Endliffe Hotel fire have been released on police as inquiries into that blaze continue. They have been ordered to return to Thanet police headquarters at Margate in June.