A FIRE in a hotel roof that led to guests and staff being evacuated was caused by an electrical issue, the fire service has said. 

Multiple firefighters rushed to the scene of the incident at Travelodge Poole North in Waterloo Road, Poole.

A total of seven fire engines and the aerial ladder platform attended on Sunday afternoon, March 24.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service urged people to avoid the area while fire crews dealt with the incident.

The fire involved solar panels in the roof of the property.

It was reported to the fire service at 2.24pm.

By around 3.15pm, just two fire engines from Poole and Westbourne remained at the site along with the aerial ladder platform.

A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire was an electrical issue with the junction panel of the solar panel system.

A Travelodge spokesperson said: "We confirm that the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Team was called out in response to an incident that took place at Poole North Travelodge this afternoon. All guests and staff members were safely evacuated and returned to their rooms soon after.

"We would like to thank the emergency services for their rapid response, our hotel team who followed protocol and conducted a successful evacuation and would also like to offer a huge thanks to our guests for their cooperation with the evacuation."