Staff's shock as fire guts historic hotel

• DAMAGE: Crews battled the flames but were unable to stop the hotel's roof collapsing

The night porter at the Star and Garter Hotel in Linlithgow's High Street spoke of his shock as he watched teams of firefighters tackle the blaze.

The three-star, 15-room hotel has been a landmark in the town since 1759 but is now a burnt-out shell after fire broke out just before 7am yesterday.

The porter, who asked not to be named, was alerted to the fire by the smoke alarm.

He said: "I reset the alarm but it went off again straight away and that's when I went to get the residents and the chef out.

"I saw smoke coming out the top of the boiler room or the linen room door so it was just common sense to get everyone out.

"I went up to the rooms and started chapping on the doors. One resident was up and I just said 'come on, we have to get out of here, there's a fire'. Everybody was quite calm.

"When everyone was out I went back to check to be sure but the smoke by that time was too much.

"Obviously the building is destroyed now but as long as everyone is out and safe.

"You can replace material things but not human life, but this won't be sorted overnight. It'll take months."

Pockets of fire inside the building were still blazing into the afternoon and the roof collapsed as fire crews struggle to control the flames.

Police closed off High Street, and trains to and from Edinburgh did not stop at Linlithgow for safety reasons as the station is directly behind the hotel.

It is also feared that the water used to extinguish the blaze may have damaged the Platform 3 pub, which adjoins the Star and Garter.

Staff and locals said they were "devastated" the popular pub and hotel has been destroyed.

Ainsley Stevenson, 19, who works in the bar, said: "I was meant to be on shift tomorrow night but I just can't believe it.

"It's a shock seeing it and it only got worse. It's horrible."

Alistair McKay, 21, who works as a barber, added: "I've drank there for about four years and know all the bar staff. They're all devastated.

"I really feel for the staff because it's their livelihood."

A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said: "The hotel is of significant historical interest to the town and will be a sad loss but the important thing is that no-one was injured as the blaze took hold.