Fire rages at Oxford's historic Macdonald Randolph hotel

Guests and staff have been evacuated from the 151-bedroom, five-AA Macdonald Randolph hotel in Oxford after a fire broke out in the neo-Gothic property this afternoon.

The Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the fire at the hotel on Beaumont Street in the city centre at 4.39pm. Fourteen fire engines, including two high-reach appliances, are currently on the scene.

There appears to be no injuries and it is believed that firefighters have not had to rescue anyone from the building. Roads nearby have been closed and there is severe traffic disruption in the area.

Other buildings in the area have been evacuated.

A spokesman for Macdonald Hotels said: "We can confirm that emergency services are attending a fire at the Macdonald Randolph hotel in Oxford. Our immediate priority was to conduct the safe evacuation of all our guests and staff within the property. This was successfully completed with no reported casualties.

"We are working with the emergency services who are on-site and our ongoing priority is the safety of the local community, its residents and surrounding properties.

"An internal investigation has already begun to establish the cause of the incident."

A witness told BBC News that "thick black smoke plumes" had been seen coming from the building. Anabel Bacon, who was on the roof terrace of the Ashmolean Museum opposite the hotel, said the smoke had appeared to stop very quickly and "then all of a sudden it resumed again with just as much force".

"The fire service was there very quickly after the second plume erupted, within five minutes."

The Randolph hotel is part of Macdonald Hotels & Resorts Signature Collection of luxury hotels. It regularly featured in the ITV series Inspector Morse, after which the hotel's Morse Bar is named.

Photo by @KellyDeMirandis Twitter