Copyright 2006 The Times-Picayune Publishing Company
By Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
A fire in a guest’s room forced the evacuation of an eight-story hotel in the Central Business District Sunday night.
The fire was extinguished before firefighters arrived, and residents were allowed to return to their rooms at the Cotton Exchange Hotel, 231 Carondelet St., within minutes, New Orleans Fire Department officials said.
The fire, however, illustrated the danger of illegally parked cars, said Fire Chief Norman Woodridge Sr. He said firefighters were slowed by the illegal parking and arrived nine minutes after receiving the call.
Damage was limited to a seventh-floor room, Woodridge said.
No one was injured in the fire, which was caused by a curling iron, Woodridge said.
Smoke activated an alarm and firefighters received the call at 8:41 p.m. But by the time they arrived at 8:50 p.m., the fire had been quelled with a dry-powder extinguisher, Woodridge said.
Guests were evacuated, then allowed to return after firefighters cleared trapped smoke from the hotel, he said. Hotel officials could not say how many guests were evacuated.
Woodridge said cars blocked exits at the fire station, as well as streets between the station and the fire. He said cars parked illegally near street corners also caused problems, making it difficult for fire engines to negotiate turns.
The Fire Department urges people celebrating Mardi Gras to park legally to avert more serious damage in the event of fires near parade routes.