Doncaster man charged with arson after hotel fire
Body-worn footage shows police evacuating guests and trying to tackle the blaze at the Holiday Inn Express in Balby on Monday
A man has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life following a fire at a hotel in Doncaster earlier this week.
32-year-old Bradley Bennett, of Ridgill Avenue, appeared before Barnsley Magistrates Court on Tuesday in connection with the incident at the Holiday Inn Express in the Balby area the previous day.
The fire broke out at around 12.36am and prompted a rapid response from police who evacuated the hotel and attempted to tackle the blaze before firefighters arrived.
Police enquiries led to Bennett being identified as a suspect, and he was subsequently charged with arson with intent to endanger life.
He has been remanded in custody and will next appear at Sheffield Crown Court on February 24.
Doncaster Response Sergeant Hannah Cox praised the officers involved in the incident:
“The actions of PC Crowcroft and PC Burnett epitomise what it means to be a response officer," she said. "Even when faced with danger, they didn’t hesitate entering the building and ensured their main priority was to protect the public."
Body-worn video from the scene captured the officers guiding guests and staff to safety before the blaze was successfully extinguished.