December 21, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2010-53)
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
R. Steve Huffman
Public Information Officer
(251) 208-2857/Fax: (251) 208-2861
E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org
BEST WESTERN BATTLESHIP INN FIRE
Mobile firefighters were dispatched to a fire at the Best Western Battleship Inn, located at 2701 Battleship Parkway, early Tuesday morning, December 21. The original call was received at approximately 4:04 a.m. Firefighters arrived with heavy fire coming from the roof of one of the two story buildings and a second alarm response was called for.
Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control very quickly.
John David Mercer, a photographer with the Press-Register, was returning home on the Bayway after shooting photos of the lunar eclipse, and saw flames shooting approximately twenty feet in the air from the motel. Mercer got off the Bayway onto the causeway and returned to the hotel and ran into the front lobby and told the on duty manager there was fire coming from the roof to call 9-1-1. Mercer then ran to the building, pulled the electronic alarm and began going door to door waking the hotel guests and notifying them of the fire. Everyone was evacuated without incident or injury.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time. All the fire damage appears to be in the attic and roof area, no rooms suffered fire damage but did receive water damage from firefighting activities. There is no damage estimate at this time. No injuries were reported.
Twelve units, including the fireboat, responded to the call.
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