Discarded cigarette to blame for Marriott hotel fire; causes over $7 million in damages, officials say

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN/Gray News) - Fire officials in Nebraska said a destructive fire that broke out at a hotel Monday night likely could have been avoided.

According to Lincoln Fire and Rescue, an improperly discarded cigarette caused a fire that destroyed a Fairfield by Marriott Inn and Suites property.

Firefighters responded to reports of flames and an explosion at the hotel around 6:50 p.m. A passerby called 911 after noticing a small fire on the exterior of the building.

Lincoln fire spokeswoman M.J. Lierman said investigators believe the fire had been burning for quite some time before that initial call.

“That passerby, we’d like to thank because with their due diligence they went inside and notified the manager, who immediately pulled the alarm,” Lierman said.

Lierman noted that 30 rooms had been reserved for the night. But it was unclear how many people were inside the building when the fire started.

Everyone was able to evacuate.

According to Lierman, they found that a cigarette had caught nearby vegetation on fire, and smoke traveled up the wall through a void into the attic, eventually causing a smoke explosion.

LFR Battalion Chief Jim Bopp said flames were visible when firefighters arrived.

Crews conducted a primary search of the building. After they searched the top third floor, the roof began to collapse, prompting firefighters to switch from an offensive attack to a defensive strategy.

No injuries were reported in the fire, but Bopp said the hotel is a total loss, adding that the second and third floors had collapsed onto the first floor.

Fire officials said the building alone is valued at $7 million, not including its contents.

Authorities did not immediately say if anyone was facing charges or if the person who left the cigarette had been identified.