Firefighters Estimate Almost $1 Million In Damages In Three Alarm Fire
March 13, 2007

Idaho - Firefighters say a three-alarm fire which demolished two historic buildings in downtown Parma this morning caused almost $1 million in damages. The Drama Lounge, at 102 Main St., and a building next door were consumed by flames early this morning. Fire crews were sent to the building at 1:50 a.m. for a report of a fire and discovered 15-foot-high flames coming off the roof, Parma Fire Capt. Ryan Gugelman said.
It took fire crews -- firefighters and equipment from seven different agencies -- about 90 minutes to extinguish the blaze, he said.

The fire caused about $900,000 damage to the historic buildings, which are over 100 years old, and about $150,000 in damage to material inside. The Drama Lounge used to be the old Fort Boise Hotel, Gugelman said.

Fire crews are still trying to determine what caused the fire. No one was hurt in the blaze. Parma Police were able to evacuate the resident of a nearby apartment around the time fire crews arrived, according to reports.

Twelve Injured In Hotel Fire In Poland

Twelve people were injured in a hotel fire in the central Polish city of Lodz, including five children and a pregnant woman, media reports said late Monday.

None of the injured were in critical condition, the Polish news agency PAP reported.

The fire in the hotel next to a hospital reportedly broke out in a storage room, but investigators were still probing for the cause of the fire. About 50 hotel guests were evacuated to safety.

Rescue workers and fire fighters were handicapped by heavy smoke.

Sprinklers Snuff Fire in Las Vegas Hotel

An automatic fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in a downtown hotel late Tuesday night. Fire investigators ruled that careless smoking was the cause of the accidental fire. One occupant of the room was taken to the hospital for minor burns to the hands and feet.

Firefighters were dispatched to the Conrad Hotel at 128 S. Seventh St. at 9:28 p.m. Tuesday. When firefighters arrived, smoke was showing from the second floor of the two-story hotel. Most of the occupants of the hotel had already evacuated.

When firefighters entered the room where the fire started they found a stuffed chair smoldering. Damage was confined to the chair and room, and was estimated at $500.

The occupant told investigators he was sitting in the chair smoking a cigarette and fell asleep. The chair then caught fire and he quickly left and got a fire extinguisher to try and put the fire out. In the process the automatic fire sprinkler activated and doused the fire. The occupant was taken to UMC for minor burns to his hands and feet.

There was no damage to any of the other rooms.

March 21, 2007 07:40 PM

A fire at a Lexington hotel Monday morning has left hotel officials scrambling to accommodate guests scheduled to stay there during this week's high school basketball tournament.

Nobody was hurt in the fire, which broke out at about 8 a.m. at the Ramada Inn on North Broadway. Thirty rooms were damaged. Most had smoke damage, and the electricity had to be cut in all of the rooms as well.

Fire officials say the fire started because of a lit cigarette that ignited a pile of mulch.

On Wednesday, the Boys' Sweet 16 high school basketball tournament starts at Rupp Arena, and hotel officials hope to have all 30 rooms that were damaged repaired by then.