Fire Department

An alarm investigation at the Edgewater Hotel led to the discovery of a fire in a guest room. Guests were evacuating the hotel as Engine Co. 1 arrived at 9:21 PM Sunday. The alarm system indicated a problem on the 10th floor. Maintenance staff advised there’d been a fire in one of the guest rooms but they’d used a fire extinguisher to put it out. Firefighters entered to take a closer look and found a small glow of fire still remaining. The crew applied water to the area and also checked the adjacent guest room for any further fire extension, finding none.

Firefighters determined the fire was the result of some unattended tealight candles burning in the corner of the room. The fire damaged the drywall next to the candles, as well as the wooden ledge the candles were sitting on at the time. There were no guests in the room when the fire occurred, and maintenance staff who initially responded to the fire alarm were not injured during the incident.

Safety Reminders: When using candles, be sure there are no other objects within at least 12 inches of the candle. Candles should only be placed in holders specifically designed for this use. The holders should be sturdy and unable to tip over easily. Do not burn tealight candles and other candles openly on a tabletop without a proper holder. Always blow out your candles before leaving the room or going to bed at night. Keep candles away from children and pets.