No injuries when hotel evacuated during grease fire Wednesday

LACONIA — The Best Western Plus Landmark Inn downtown was evacuated Wednesday afternoon, after a grease fire from a stove in a guest room set off the smoke alarm.

There were no injuries reported. All guests are being moved out of the hotel.

After receiving notice of the smoke alarm activated at 1:23 p.m. on July 9, the Laconia Fire Department arrived at the scene at 1:27 p.m.

The investigation is still ongoing, but the second-floor fire was extinguished by the time firefighters arrived. The second floor sustained smoke damage, and there is water damage in the basement as well as the first and second floors. During the investigation, the sprinkler system was shut off to prevent further water damage. Arrangements for guests were still being made Wednesday afternoon.

“The owners are working on the plan of moving [guests] somewhere else,” Deputy Fire Chief Louis Loutrel said. “Some of the people are just waiting to get their stuff. They're already going to go to other places.”

Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters called for assistance, due to the size of the building, bringing in coverage at the station from another department in case of any other calls, and activating off-duty personnel. Another reason firefighters might call for assistance would be due to the number of people in a building.

Belmont and Gilford fire departments also responded to the scene, as well as Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid.

Hoses were connected to fire hydrants nearby as a precautionary measure, as well as the standpipe systems in the building, but were not needed.

Harsh Singh, an information technology analyst at the hotel, was standing outside as fire crews worked inside. He was working adjacent to the room with the fire when the sprinklers came on.

“The moment we opened the door, we had smoke come in,” he said.

About 10 guests and employees were standing under the shade of a tree in the parking lot, waiting to get back in the hotel Wednesday afternoon, trying to avoid the heat. Singh and another employee went to the nearby Walgreens store and bought water for the group.

Loutrel said if an alarm goes off in a building, everyone must evacuate.

“It might not be your room. It could be the room next door. It could be a floor above, floor below,” he said. “Either way, biggest safety thing is you got to get out. You don't want to wait.”