Mum arrested after fire engulfs floors of Queensland quarantine hotel

A 31-year-old mother is in police custody after an "intense" fire broke out within a Cairns quarantine hotel, leading to 163 people having to be evacuated.

No one was injured in the fire, which started about 7am this morning, on the eleventh floor of Pacific Hotel Cairns.

Chief Superintendent Chris Hodgman said the "significant fire" began in a room where a mother and two children were quarantining.

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"It was quite intense," he said.

Supt Hodgman said the 163 people isolating within the hotel were evacuated without issue within five minutes.

He said the fire caused "significant damage" and would potentially mean a number of floors of the hotel would now be unusable.

Supt Hodgman said the hotel had been rendered a crime scene and that all residents would be moved to another hotel.

He said "top investigators" were looking into the "sensitive investigation", and that a 31-year-old woman had been taken into custody at Cairns watch house, while her two children were in police care.

The woman had allegedly been staying in the hotel for a couple of days, after having arrived from either Sydney or Melbourne, and had presented "some issues" to staff.

Supt Hodgman said he felt for the hotel staff and management.

"For this to happen is a bit of a tragedy," he said.