Austin hotel fire: Huge blaze engulfs motel near North I-35 service road - with electricity in the area shut off
A vacant hotel and restaurant caught fire near Interstate 35 and the University of Texas at Austin campus.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening (5 October). The flames sent huge plumes of black smoke into the air that could be seen from miles away.
The city of Austin’s public safety active incidents website showed firefighters responded to the 2700 block of Cole Street, a block away from the I-35 frontage road near a restaurant and the hotel. A photo sent to KXAN shows flames coming out of several windows of the hotel.
Sixty-two firefighters responded to the scene. Upon arrival, an abandoned hotel was fully engulfed in flames. Austin Fire Department said there was a risk of fire spreading to apartments across the street.
No evacuation orders were issued, and the fire was prevented from spreading to the apartments. Electricity in the area has been shut off by Austin Energy, due to flame heights.
No civilians were injured, but there was a firefighter's heat-related injury. The cause of the fire is unknown and an investigation is under way.