Updated: RESIDENTS were evacuated from a York guest house when a blaze destroyed a building next door.

Fire crews from York and Acomb battled to put out the blaze early yesterday at a derelict three-storey building next to Minster Lodge guest house in Wigginton Road.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue service said the blaze was started deliberately.

Colin Cain, who owns the Minster Lodge and intends converting the next-door building into a 14-bedroom hotel called the Eva Victor Hotel, said: “It’s absolutely devastating. And on Mothers’ Day it’s so poignant because I was going to name it after my late mother and father.

“But it won’t stop me doing it. It’s encouraged me even more to succeed.”

This was the second blaze to hit the overall property in less than six months. Minster Lodge itself, then called Ambrose Lodge, suffered about £10,000 worth of fire and smoke damage after a sofa was deliberately set alight on the evening of October 17.

Police evacuated guest house residents after the latest fire started at about 5.40am yesterday. Mr Cain said the guests had been very understanding and were given a free weekend stay.

Mr Cain said: “It was like November 5 with a crowd of about 80 people watching.”

Wigginton Road was closed during the fire, which was put out just after 8am.

Mr Cain said the property was uninsured and he had already invested about £70,000 into renovating the building, including £35,000 on the burned-out top floor.

Minster Lodge was also water damaged, with sodden carpets and furniture, but Mr Cain said he was getting in a commercial cleaning crew and having the gas and electricity put back on to ensure it was ready for guests in the evening as it was fully booked.