Tag Archives: Property Damage

by | October 23, 2012 · 6:32 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: North Carolina Hotel Suffers Extensive Water Damage After "Prank Phone Call" Causes Guest To Activate Fire Sprinkler

“…The caller told the guest who answered to activate the fire sprinkler in the room because there was a gas leak. After the guest followed the directions, the caller hung up…”

For the second time this year, a Leland hotel has suffered extensive damage because of a prank phone call. Leland Police say early Sunday morning, someone called the front desk of the Best Western off US 17 and asked to be transferred to a room.

The same thing happened to another guest in the hotel back in May. That prank flooded the first two floors of the hotel and caused thousands of dollars in damage.

Leland Police detectives believe this prank may be only one of many nationwide, as was the case back in the spring. Detectives are investigating any and all leads and plan on possible collaboration with federal officials to aid in this investigation.

For more:  http://www.wwaytv3.com/2012/10/22/leland-hotel-damaged-prank-call-for-second-time

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by | October 21, 2012 · 6:57 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Mississippi Hotel Fire Causes $4 Million In Damage As Roof And Most Of Third Floor Rooms Destroyed; Heavy Water Damage To Lower Floors

“…Three-quarters of the roof is gone, along with the tower over the elevator shaft, which collapsed… Most of the third floor rooms were damaged or destroyed by fire and the lower floors inundated by water from the fire hoses…”

Federal investigators have joined the investigation into Wednesday’s fire at a Howard Johnson Inn on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The fire burned through the roof of the three-story hotel, doing an estimated $4 million in damage. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will help state and local officials determine the origin and cause of the fire, says Joel Lee, who leads the ATF’s Gulfport field office.

Four Jackson County fire departments responded to the blaze at the hotel Wednesday, which is in the unincorporated St. Martin community north of Ocean Springs. The fire burned for more than three hours.

Officials said the fire spread because the older building lacked the fireproofing required by building codes in newer structures. Another fire damaged the hotel in 2010.

For more:  http://www2.wjtv.com/news/2012/oct/20/federal-agency-joins-hotel-fire-investigation-ar-4794171/

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by | October 17, 2012 · 5:58 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: North Carolina Hotel Fire Caused By "Electrical Short In Air Conditioner"; 18 Rooms And $15,000 In Damage

“…Officials said 18 rooms were destroyed after an electrical short in an air conditioner unit caused a fire in a room on the third floor…about $15,000 in property damage and about $30,000 in content damage was reported…”

Fire officials said 18 adults were displaced and one injury was reported after a hotel fire Tuesday night in Winston-Salem. Authorities said 24 firefighters from various units had the situation under control within about 30 minutes.

Authorities said the Red Cross responded and the victims were moved to the Quality Inn in Winston-Salem and the Village Inn in Clemmons. Details on the reported injury were not released.

For more:  http://myfox8.com/2012/10/17/officials-18-adults-displaced-in-winston-salem-hotel-fire/

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by | October 10, 2012 · 6:28 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: South Dakota Hotel Rebuilt After Fire Started By "Cigarette On Couch" Causes $160,000 In Damage

“…Investigators have determined that the fire was started by a cigarette on a couch in the second floor room of Bradley Morris, the tenant who died…The fire caused extensive smoke damage, however, with the second floor most affected…It took nearly three months for workers from Service Master to clean all of the building, a job that included painstaking work on the metal framework of the suspended ceiling…”

The heat of the fire was intense enough to burst the windows of the apartment, but the construction of the building helped keep the blaze contained, Chadron Fire Chief Pat Gould told The Chadron Record shortly after the fire. The fire burned through the ceiling of the apartment, but its spread was limited by the building’s brick walls and the lath and plaster construction of the upper levels.

The clean up job also included replacing every carpet and smoke alarm in the building, repainting, and completely reworking the apartment where the fire started, the Bagneschi’s said.

The work ended up costing some $160,000, a figure doesn’t count the time Bagneschis put into the project themselves. “It’s been quite a chore,” said Larry.

For more:  http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/communities/chadron/fire-damaged-blaine-hotel-completely-restored/article_3024cb98-1238-11e2-9cad-0019bb2963f4.html

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by | October 8, 2012 · 6:24 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Missouri Motel Fire Caused By Guest Smoking In Bed; Several "Oxygen Tanks" Were In Room

“…The man (was) on oxygen, and McConnell says there were several oxygen tanks in the man’s room…Officials investigating the cause of the blaze told KSPR News the fire was indeed accidental. The fire started near the bed, and officials had warned the man before about smoking in bed…”

Fire officials say a fire that killed a man in a west Springfield motel was accidental in nature. The call to fire crews was made around 2:15 Monday morning. The flames were coming out of one room of the Cloud Drift Motel, 3601 West Sunshine Street, west of West Bypass.

An attempt was made to rescue a man who was staying in the room, but the flames were too high for anyone to get inside. Brookline Fire Chief Larry McConnell says his crew is familiar with the man who died in the fire. He says they have responded to medical calls for him.

Once tankers arrived, the fire was put out quickly. Fire crews from Brookline and Willard responded. The Greene County Sheriff’s Department is assisting with the investigation. No firefighters were hurt. The room where the victim was staying is damaged heavily. The unit next door was also burned, but no one was there when the fire happened.

For more:  http://www.kspr.com/news/kspr-fatal-fire-one-man-is-dead-after-a-fire-in-west-springfield-20121008,0,6937042.story

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by | October 1, 2012 · 6:43 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Wyoming Motel Fire Causes $14 Million In Damage; Man Indicted For Role In Starting Fire

“…The fire at the historic motel, located at 1700 W. Lincolnway, destroyed guest rooms, a restaurant, the lobby and the bar. It caused about $14 million in property damage. Lodging buildings didn’t burn. It was determined that the fire was set intentionally…”

A New Mexico man has been indicted for his alleged involvement with the Sept. 15, 2010, fire at the Hitching Post Inn here. Robert Rodriguez, 44, was indicted by a Wyoming federal grand jury Friday, according to a release from the Wyoming district of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The two-count indictment says Rodriguez maliciously damaged and destroyed the Hitching Post by means of  fire. It also says he used fire to aid and abet mail and wire fraud. It is  unclear from the release whether charges have been filed. Rodriguez is being  detained without bail.

The investigation into the fire is ongoing, the release says. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading
the investigation with help from the Cheyenne Police Department and Cheyenne Fire and Rescue.

City officials closed the motel in September 2009, citing safety concerns and code violations.

CJM Hospitality bought the property from New Jersey-based Matiff Cheyenne Hospitality in the wake of Matiff filing for Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection.

The 10.82-acre property was appraised for more than $6 million. At the time of the fire, CJM was putting in $500,000
worth of renovations. Representatives said they planned to reopen the west side of the structure and two unattached buildings.

For more: http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2012/09/29/news/01top_09-29-12.txt

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by | September 25, 2012 · 6:28 am

Hospitality Industry Risk Solutions: Oklahoma Restaurant Roof Fire Causes Extensive Structural, Water And Smoke Damage

“…Firefighters arrived quickly, but struggled with the fire because flames became trapped between two layers of the roof toward the back of the building…”

A popular Oklahoma City pizza restaurant is closed following a fire early Tuesday morning. A police officer driving down N. Western near Nichols Hills first reported heavy smoke coming out of the Hideaway Pizza restaurant around 3 a.m.

Once they doused the flames, crews surveyed the damage. It appeared most of the heavy fire damage is in the rear of the structure near the kitchen area. There is smoke and water damage throughout the building.

Firefighters are still trying to figure out what started the blaze; arson investigators and a State Health Department representative spent several hours at the scene.

Fire investigators say it appears the fire had smoldered inside the building for quite a while.

For more:  http://www.newson6.com/story/19631479/fire-heavily-damages-popular-okc-pizza-place

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by | September 21, 2012 · 6:22 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: North Carolina Restaurant Fire Caused By "Outside Neon Lighting Electrical Short"; Extensive Exterior And Smoke Damage

“…the fire started on the half of the building that serves as the dining area…it went inside to the attic space…in addition to a sizable hole in the building’s roof, the building sustained smoke damage; siding closest to the flames melted and peeled down…”

An electrical short associated with the neon lighting attached to the facia of Peaden’s restaurant and catering service building on McArthur Road caused significant damage to half the building on Thursday, fire officials said. When they responded about 5:30 p.m., the building already had been evacuated, and no one was injured.

“When we first arrived, fire was showing from the gable in the front,” Southern said. Firefighters then attacked the fire from the front and back of the building, he said. The 23 firefighters who responded were quick to bring the fire under control in 15 minutes, he said. That quick response spared the rest of the building from further damage. City health officials visited the building and spoke with the business’s owners, who didn’t want to comment Thursday night, and evaluated the damage. Southern could not say whether the business could reopen today.

However, the restaurant side of the building would need “extensive repair” before it could be usable again, he said.

For more:  http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2012/09/20/1205576?sac=fo.home

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by | September 20, 2012 · 6:14 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Texas Restaurant Rebuilds After Electrical Fire Causes More Than $40,000 In Damage; Insurance Policy Covers Employee Payroll

“…a fire struck the backside of the building. It is still undetermined as to what exactly caused the one-alarm fire, which left approximately $40,000 in electrical damage…thanks to the preservation of its original pits and an insurance policy that has kept their employees on the payroll since the incident… it will feel as if Hutchins BBQ never closed…”

At first, a hopeful Tim believed the restaurant would be up and running in a couple of weeks. But with more planning and red tape to navigate than originally expected, he and his father, Roy, recovering a business from fire entailed much more than he anticipated.

The fire originated in the rear of the building and destroyed its back wall and pit room, which housed two wood-burning rotisserie pits, a trademark of the family namesake.

“It was devastating,,” Roy said. “We’ve put in 14 restaurants since 1975, and this is the first fire we’ve ever had.”

With the damages being more expensive than he originally thought, Tim believes the worst is behind them, and said he and his father are resting easier now that they can see the progress taking shape.

“A lot of times with a lot of restaurants, this could put you under,” Tim said.  “Thankfully, this is something I’ve been able to do.”

The restaurant, which has been at that location since 1991, will look very similar to way it was before the fire, except for a completely new pit room constructed of steel and cement, no wood, Roy said.

For more:  http://www.scntx.com/articles/2012/09/19/mckinney_courier-gazette/news/8971.txt

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by | September 17, 2012 · 6:31 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Oregon Hotel Fire Caused By Cigarette Thrown In Bark Dust; $75,000 In Damage To Structure

“…the building’s fire sprinkler system activated in the attic and stopped that fire from spreading to the rest of the hotel…Fire investigators said the fire started in bark dust and they believe the fire had been burning for some time…The fire caused at least $75,000 in damages to the building and its contents…”

A cigarette is to blame for a fire that damaged the side of the Best Western Hotel in Forest Grove on Sunday afternoon. Firefighters were called to the hotel at 3933 Pacific Ave. at about 2:45 p.m. to reports of a fire burning up the side of the building.

When fire crews arrived, they were able to put the fire out, but not before it had spread up the two-story hotel.

Hotel guests had reported smelling smoke earlier in the day, but nothing was ever found.

A hotel housekeeper first spotted the fire and quickly started to evacuate about a dozen guests at the hotel.

Officials said another housekeeper grabbed a fire extinguisher but the fire was already burning inside the wall space. Staff at the hotel are working to find another hotel in the area for displaced guests.

Fire officials said this is one of several fires in bark dust that has occurred over the last week in Washington County.

For more:  http://www.kptv.com/story/19558127/fire-damages-forest-grove-hotel

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