An Isle of Man restaurant owner has heaped praise on a team of island firefighters following a blaze at the venue.

Emergency services rushed to the Regency Hotel in Douglas late this afternoon after staff raised the alarm.

It later transpired that the fire started in a ‘basement area’ at the site.

In a video posted online following the incident, Michael Murphy, owner and chef at the L’experience restaurant located inside the hotel, explained that the blaze happened as a result of a problem with one of the drying machines at the site.

He added that the venue would be closed this evening (Thursday) as a result of the incident.

In the clip, filmed just outside the hotel, Mr Muphy said: ‘Sorry, we’re closed tonight.

‘We’ve had an issue with one of our dryers and we’re not going to be open tonight.’

Mr Murphy then pans the camera around to show firefighters seemingly packing away equipment outside the venue.

‘Thank you very much to the fire brigade,’ he added.

‘They’ve really done an amazing job.’

A spokesman for the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘At 4.35pm crews from Douglas Station were mobilised by the emergency services joint control room to a structure fire at the Regency Hotel, Douglas.

‘On arrival the officer in charge liaised with staff on scene and a team was then deployed to the basement area.

‘A small fire was located and extinguished using a high pressure hose reel, they then checked the area for hot spots using a thermal imaging camera.

‘A further team was committed to help vent the property of smoke.

‘Crews were in attendance for approximately 90 minutes.’