An investigation has been launched into the cause of a fire that broke out at an iconic Mid Wales hotel overnight.

Firefighters from across Mid Wales rushed to the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells overnight as a blaze broke out in the four-star Victorian hotel’s laundry room.

The alarm was raised at around 6pm on Tuesday evening with crews from Rhayader, Llandrindod Wells, Builth Wells, Llanwrtyd Wells, Talgarth and Knighton all attending the scene.

The hotel comprised of six floors, above ground, and two basements.

The fire was contained to a laundry room basement, but the smoke had spread to all rear rooms of the hotel.

Firefighters extinguished the fire using 10 breathing apparatus, four hose reel jets and four thermal imaging cameras. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service also deployed an Incident Command Unit to the incident.

Firefighting operations ceased at 9.33pm, however crews remained on scene overnight to monitor and dampen down hotspots.

The police were also in attendance.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the fire service.

Group manager Craig Thomas, Northern Division Commander for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “When crews arrived at the scene, they were met with a fully established fire in the laundry room and quickly established that they needed additional resources to contain the fire.

"Our firefighters worked extremely well in arduous and complex conditions to extinguish the fire and stop it from spreading to the main hotel.”