AROUND 30 firefighters have attended a blaze at the Black Bear hotel in Wareham.

The fire started on the ground floor of the three storey hotel on South Street just before 10am.

Crews from Wareham, Poole, Swanage, Hamworthy and Bere Regis attended.

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Dorset Fire & Rescue Service station manager Richard Coleman said they were called at 9.48am.

He said: "The landlady of the pub called us because she heard loud bangs from the front of the pub, and it seemed quite electrical.

"It seems there has been quite a significant problem with the electricity supply that has caused damage then set fire to part of the building."

Mr Coleman added: "The fire spread, there were visible flashes of mains voltage electricity. This is a significant hazard to firefighters, so we did what we could to suppress the fire in the room above then withdrew until the electricity board could isolate that supply.

"The early actions of those crews from Wareham have saved this building. There is no doubt that if they hadn't taken that decision early on to go in, the fire would have taken hold in that room above.

"There would have been every chance we would have lost this fantastic building."

Dorset Fire and Rescue said electricity and gas supplies have been isolated while they deal with the incident which may affect residents who live locally.

The road has been closed in both directions and the situation is ongoing.

Black Bear Hotel owner/manager Lynda Maytum said: "It seems to have started downstairs near the dining room. We have this big flap that comes down where they read the meters in the porch way.

"That is where it really looks like it got going. Then it went up into room nine upstairs.

"The first I knew was when Beccie came and got me."

Lynda lives in a cottage behind the hotel, which is where she was when drama started.

"I'd like to say thank you to all of the local people that have come out in support as well."

Beccie Lee, co-owner, who lives in, was working when fire broke out. She says it was about 9.40am when she noticed smell of smoke.

She said: "I was in the dining room and there were people eating breakfast.

" I saw smoke coming from the dining room. Then I heard a popping noise. I could see it was coming from the electrics, so I just evacuated everyone from inside and called the fire brigade."

There were residents, cooks and cleaners evacuated.