Families have been forced to leave their homes and take refuge in a nearby hotel after a large building caught fire.
Firefighters were called to the fire in West Avenue in Clacton, Essex, shortly after midnight this morning.
The building was fully alight and fire crews from seven stations were called in to tackle the blaze.
Three roads were closed and several nearby homes were evacuated, with residents taking refuge in a nearby Premier Inn.
Essex County Fire & Rescue says the fire has now been extinguished, but crews will remain at the scene to dampen down any hotspots.
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