ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando firefighters responded early Saturday to a burning abandoned hotel in the city’s tourist district.
The Orlando Fire Department set out around 6:15 a.m. to the dilapidated I-Drive Grand Resort & Suites in the 7000 block of S. Kirkman Road, a stone’s throw away from other hotels such as Universal’s Endless Summer Resort along Universal Boulevard and a Hampton Inn location just further south, according to a statement.
Crews reported a two-alarm fire that extended to about a quarter of the building, the statement reads. A spokesperson for the city told News 6 they were advised at least one person was found inside and escorted out, adding the cause was likely due to activity in the building.
Photos and video shared by the fire department show flames and smoke pouring from the structure.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is still said to be under investigation.
According to property records, the hotel was deemed uninhabitable in an Aug. 31, 2020 inspection that found noncompliance with city code regarding fire protection. The inspection noted in part the structure’s state as “neglected, damaged, dilapidated, unsecured or abandoned.”
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