VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - Valdosta firefighters said that they evacuated a hotel with guests, employees, and two pets inside of it when an electrical fire started inside the laundry room.
The Valdosta Fire Department said that they were called to an early morning fire on Thursday at a LaQuinta Inn & Suites on Clubhouse Drive.
Units arrived around 3:10 a.m. to find heavy smoke and flames that were starting to extend through the roof.
They said that they started aggressively evacuating the building as the fought off the flames.
Of the 121 rooms in the hotel, 117 rooms were occupied. However, firefighters said that they were able to safely evacuate all hotel guests, employees, and two pets that were inside.
By 4:45 a.m., the fire was extinguished.
They said that one firefighter suffered a minor injury and was transported to the South Georgia Medical Center. He was later released.
Firefighters said that the fire started in the laundry room and a preliminary investigation points to the cause being electrical.
The total damage estimate is $130,000 and the property value is estimated at $2,800,000.
