Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Missouri Hotel Fire Started By "Overloaded Electrical Cord"; 80-Year Old Building "Still Had Original Wiring"

The fire is believed to be electrical, but Noah said he doesn’t expect to determine the exact cause of the fire because the room “flashed over” during the fire. This can produce heat as high as 930 degrees.

“The building was built in 1927, and it still has the original wiring in the building,” Orgeron said. “We ask them not to, but you can’t be in everyone’s room all the time. People do break the rules.”

The fire at the Missouri Hotel started in the room of a resident who was using multiple electrical appliances, an official said. Fire marshal Philip Noah said a 48-year-old woman in room 221 had a box fan, stereo and cell phone charger plugged into an electrical cord.

Being able to pinpoint it becomes very difficult,” Noah said. “Really it would take an lectrical engineer”.

For more: http://www.news-leader.com/article/20120120/NEWS01/301200068/0/blogs/?odyssey=nav%7Chead