News Wedding party flee hotel blaze
The caterer who cancels at the last minute, the stained dress and the car that breaks down are all problems that brides and grooms dread.
But few imagine that their hotel is going to go up in flames - but that is what happened to Blacktoft couple Ian Wilburn and Samantha Barnes, who married in Mombasa, Kenya, on June 12.
Ian, Samantha and 16 of their family and friends were forced to flee the Southern Palms resort after a fire broke out in the middle of the night.
Patricia Wilburn, of Kilpin, who had flown out to see her son get married, told the Goole Times: "It was a terrifying experience. It's the stuff your worst nightmares are made of - something you never thought would happen."
Patricia and her husband Peter were woken shortly after midnight on June 8 by shouting and a bang on the door.
"Initially we heard someone shouting: "Get out! Get out! Fire! Fire!" she said.
"Then there was a bang on the door.
"My husband ran to the door and looked out and he could see an orange halo.
"Then he said: 'Come on!' and pulled me out."
Patricia and Peter gathered outside with their party but were unable to see Ian and Samantha.
"We didn't know their room number so we couldn't go to them," Patricia said.
"They''d just arrived at the resort after going on a safari and we'd just arrived from Britain.
"We hadn't had time to find out what their room number was.
"It was a frightening time for everyone," said Patricia.
After about five minutes, however, Ian and Samantha joined the others and took refuge with the other guests on the beach, away from the blazing hotel.
"The roof of the building that was on fire started slipping off," said Patricia.
The 'wedding group', as they came to be known by other guests, spent the night on sun loungers around the swimming pool before being moved to the Diani Reef and Spa, also in Mombasa, the following afternoon.
"Our first night wasn't as idyllic as we'd pictured it," said Patricia. "But there was nowhere else to go.
"It's not a safe country to go out in."
The group were able to collect their belongings the next day - although the wedding dress had already been rescued.
"It was the one thing Samantha's mum brought out," said Patricia.
Despite the traumatic build up, everything went smoothly on June 12 when the couple finally tied the knot in a special garden.
Patricia said: "It was a very, very beautiful day and a lovely evening reception.
"The Diani Reef staff really pulled out all the stops to give them a wonderful day."
Ian and Samantha are now happily married and are honeymooning in Kenya until today (Thursday).
But one of the most frightening things about the whole event for the family was the lack of health and safety procedures.
"It was left to other guests to get people out," said Patricia.
"The hotel had no fire alarms working, no sprinkler system and sub-standard fire-fighting equipment.
"One of the fire alarms fell off the wall - and there weren't even any holes in the wall for the wires to come through to connect to it."
According to one report another British guest, Dominic Kennedy of Wakefield, banged on ten fire alarms but none of them worked.
"It's something we'd want to be sorted out for it to be safe for other holiday makers," said Patricia.
However, First Choice, with whom the Wilburns booked their holiday, told the Goole Times that health and safety and fire prevention audits were carried out and approved in April this year, and the hotel was graded as a very low risk.
"A fire alarm test was also carried out and passed in May 2007," said Yasmina Cherquaoui, senior press officer.
"All First Choice hotels undergo rigorous health and safety checks, and comply with both local and UK standards.
"In the case of Southern Palms, only the thatched roof caught fire, meaning that the rooms were left unscathed and no damage was done to any First Choice customer's possessions."
Asked about the non-functioning fire alarms, Ms Cherquaoui said:
"We have since commissioned an independent Fire Investigation Report and it states that the hotel professes that the fire alarm did sound and was turned off when all guests were evacuated and at the meeting point."
Published on 21st June 2007 in News.
Add to: Digg | del.icio.us | Reddit
Comments
There are currently no comments
Comment
All comments are subject to moderation (during normal office hours) and may be amended.
Email addresses are required for administration purposes only.
By contributing your comments, you accept our terms and conditions.