Hotel fire caused by electrical fault

A fire which ripped through the basement of a 500-year-old hotel in Shropshire was caused by an electrical fault, fire investigators said today.

Staff and guests were forced to flee from Naughty Nell's hotel and restaurant in Part Street, Shifnal, after a blaze broke out in its cellar at about 10.30pm on Tuesday.

Today Sean Baker, station manager at Shrewsbury Fire Station, said: "We have investigated it and put the cause of fire down to abnormal electrical activity."