A HOTEL owner's warnings over fire risks at a derelict hotel became a reality after a blaze broke out at the East Cliff site on Saturday morning.

Firefighters tackled the blaze at the boarded-up Orchid Gardens building in Gervis Road for several hours.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue service were called by builders on the site of the hotel shortly after 8am.

It was reported that there were four people squatting in the building. No one is believed to have been injured.

In the past, hotel owners have spoken out about their safety concerns regarding the unused building, which has been boarded up for several years.

Ken Robins, who has run the Hotel Celebrity for 20 years, said there has been issues with drug taking and squatters for a long time.

The hotelier said he has had to increase security at his hotel to prevent people from walking in and stealing items.

"From my understanding, it is difficult to develop that site for several reasons," Mr Robins said.

"The boarded up building has affected us. Some guests have left negative reviews online referencing the site as an eye sore.

"It is very close to our hotel and we have several rooms that look over it."

In 2013, he told the Daily Echo the building was a fire hazard because it remained full of flammable material, including furniture and bedding.

“It is an absolute eyesore and attracts extremely adverse comments because it looks derelict and decrepit," he said at the time.

“Lots of hotel owners in the area have complained because it is extremely dangerous. We are worried there will be a major fire of a similar scale to the blaze at the Cliff End Hotel in Boscombe.”

The reason Saturday's fire was not worse is because much of the material was removed, he said.

Around 50 firefighters were at the scene at the weekend, with 12 fire engines, several ambulances and police vehicles, and engineers from utilities companies.

Gervis Road was closed off between Gervis roundabout and St Peters roundabout, while the incident was being dealt with.

The fire took hold of the rear section of the property, which stands next to Hotel Celebrity.

Plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the site across the East Cliff.

Station manager Julian Lockwood told the Daily Echo: “Initial reports were that we had four persons who were squatting in the building.

“It is a large, complicated building, with unsafe structures inside. It was of paramount importance to search the building for any casualties and firefighter safety because of the condition of the building."