[WATCH] Update 2 | Guests evacuated from Qawra Palace Hotel after fire

Guests evacuated from Qawra Palace Hotel after a fire breaks out

Guests at the Qawra Palace Hotel have been evacuated after a fire broke out at the hotel at roughly 1pm on Tuesday afternoon. 

Some seven fire engines as well as two ambulances were immediately dispatched the to hotel, with a number of guests treated for smoke inhalation at a medical post set up in the area. 

Michael Spiteri, the chairman of the Emergency Unit told MaltaToday that despite the evacuation, none of the guests needed to be taken to Mater Dei Hospital for treatment. 

"A total of 25 patients were treated on site, suffering very minor injuries since they inhaled some smoke, but none of them were hospitalised," he said. 

Fire breaks out at Qawra Palace hotel

As per protocol, Spiteri said that two ambulances, two rapid response units and a major incidence support unit went on site after the emergency control room was alerted to the fire. 

(Photo: James Bianchi/MediaToday)

Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia is on site. (Photo: James Bianchi/MediaToday)

First responders treated tourists on site at a medical station set up outside the hotel. (Photo: James Bianchi/MediaToday)

The director of the Civil Protection Department Emanuel Psaila said a hotel fire was is always a "red alert". 

"The first thing the CPD did was to start an evacuation. The sauna was where the fire started but the cause is not yet known," he explained.

Firefighters used breathing apparatus to enter inside the hotel. (Photo: James Bianchi/MediaToday)

(Photo: James Bianchi/MediaToday)

Evacuees were sent to the nearby Tal-Kaptan restaurant in the vicinity of the hotel until the CPD put out the fire and secured the hotel.

An evacuee described proceedings as he was escorted out of the hotel "as good as gold". Accompanied by his wife he said that members of the emergency medical unit helped him down the stairs since he has a minor disability.

"We heard the doors to our room first - bang, bang, bang - and we were told to exit the building. We had to use the emergency staircase," he said, describing the proceedings as smooth. He thanked the members of the CPD and the medical unit as he was ushered to the nearby Tal-Kaptan restaurant.