Several people were rescued from thick smoke on an upper floor of a hotel in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Thursday, firefighters said.
Two people were hospitalized with smoke inhalation from the Holiday Inn, which had to be evacuated and may not be able to host people Thursday night, according to Somerville Fire Chief Charles Breen.
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There was "heavy, heavy black smoke" on the ninth floor of the hotel on Washington Street, Breen said, and firefighters pulled about six people who were staying on the floor out and into safety in the stairwell.
The fire appeared to be accidental, not suspiciousm and "the sprinklers activated, did their job, kept it to that one room," according to Breen. Investigators were still looking to determine the cause of the blaze.
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Along with smoke damage and damage to doors that had to be forced open on the ninth floor, there was water damage on the floors below, Breen said, and city inspectors were working to mitigate danger to electric systems in some of the rooms so people can return as soon as possible.
A man who said he was in Room 912 of the hotel recalled being rescued by firefighters from the hallway after smelling the fire while finishing a shower.
"This place was packed with smoke, you could cut it with a knife," he said, asking to only be identified as Gary from New York.
Photos posted on social media showed multiple ladder trucks with their ladders extended to the roof, and at least a handful of windows smashed out. Breen said windows were likely broken to provide ventilation.
More Somerville news
The Somerville firefighter union had said in a Facebook post shortly before 1 p.m. that companies were working a fire at the hotel.
The Cambridge Fire Department said in a post on X that they were providing mutual aid response to Somerville.
Mutual aid response to Somerville: Engine 5, Squad 3, & Division 1 are en route to the 2nd alarm, Box 2-1413, 30 Washington St in Somerville.
— Cambridge Fire Dept. (@CambridgeMAFire) February 6, 2025
Engine 4 & Ladder 1 are covering in Somerville.
