A BLACKBURN hotel has been gutted by a huge fire.

An investigation is underway into the blaze at the Bear Hotel, Cravens Brow, Blackburn.

It tore through two-thirds of the 22-bed venue early yesterday, even causing the roof to collapse.

Three staff managed to flee the flames unharmed before fire crews arrived.

More than 50 firefighters spent three hours tackling the blaze from 4.30am.

They spent the rest of the day at the scene, but because of the building is unstable, investigators have not been able to get inside.

Police and fire have launched a joint probe and are ‘keeping an open mind’ about the cause until they are able to do a forensic examination of the scene.

The hotel, which has a 60-cover restaurant and a function room that can hold up to 200 people, has been subject to a controversial planning application to turn the site into a mental health unit.

The proposal, which would create a home for 16 to 35-year-olds with ‘medium to high levels of mental need’, prompted more than 300 objections.

In January councillors delayed making a decision on the plans for a second time.

Ward councillor Michael Johnson, a friend of the hotel’s owner William Pearse, said Mr Pearse had been at his home in Flintshire, North Wales, when the blaze broke out.

He said: “He was totally shocked by the news and set off for Blackburn as soon as he heard. He just wanted to know if anybody had been hurt.

“He said ‘I’m not bothered about the building. I just want to know everyone’s okay’.

“The three people in the hotel were the caretaker and two other members of staff who were painting the main function room and who were staying overnight. At about 2.30am they believed they heard a disturbance downstairs.

“They thought nothing of it because there have been a lot of petty break-ins. They checked the doors and went to bed.

“As for William’s plans for the building’s future, he has absolutely no idea.

“He is shellshocked and he is very worried about his staff as things don’t look good.”

News of the fire quickly reached those who had planned functions at the venue.

Blackburn sisters Cath Dawson and Vicky Dawson and their partners Anthony Walton and Lee Astbury were due to have a joint christening at the hotel for their sons Jacob and Lucas, who are both five months old.

Cath, who received a call at 5am telling her about the fire, said they had just a few hours to find somewhere else for their 150 guests.

She said: “It was such a panic but thankfully the Whitehall hotel in Darwen agreed to take it on at 8am. They have been absolutely brilliant.”

Couple Sara Sweeney, 18, of Preston, and Scott King, 20, of Blackburn, were having their wedding at the hotel in just six weeks.

Sara, who is expecting the couple’s first child in July, said that everything for their big day on April 17 had been organised and paid for.

She said: “We don’t know what to do now. It is so stressful and we haven’t been able to speak to the Bear Hotel yet.

“Our guests have booked hotels locally and we have no idea what to tell them.”

Residents whose homes are yards from the hotel praised firefighters who stopped the blaze from spreading to their properties.

Firefighters tackled the blaze from back gardens and were concerned that heat would shatter a conservatory at the home of Brian and Jackie Whalley.

Brian said: “They’ve done a great job and they have saved all the properties along here.”

Incident commander David Bent said: “The building is severely damaged with the roof collapsed and two thirds of the building affected.

"I wouldn’t imagine there will be any functions here for some time.”

Click here to view our gallery of the blaze.