A fire at the Hollywood Gateway Inn early Friday morning forced the evacuation of more than 60 people and sent four to the hospital, according to Hollywood Fire Rescue. The blaze was reported at 2:12 a.m. at the two-story hotel located in the 2900 block of Polk Street in Hollywood.
“Upon arrival, units found an active fire on the east side of the building, which was quickly brought under control,” Hollywood Fire Rescue said in an email. “The majority of occupants had already self-evacuated.” Fire crews spent approximately one hour conducting overhaul operations after extinguishing the flames.
Wilson Rodriguez, a hotel guest, told Local 10 he was awakened by someone screaming “fire!” “When we opened the door, all we saw was fire and a lot of smoke,” Rodriguez said. “There were people jumping from the balcony. We saved a lady with her daughter.”
Firefighters assisted two people from a second-floor balcony who were evaluated for smoke inhalation but declined transport to the hospital. Two other occupants were taken to a local hospital for injuries sustained while evacuating the building. Fire officials believe the blaze started on the second floor inside one of the rooms and appears to have been accidental and electrical in origin.
A Hollywood Fire Rescue spokesperson credited the building’s smoke alarms with helping save lives, noting they “worked exactly as they should.” “Hollywood Fire Rescue reminds the community that working smoke alarms save lives,” the spokesperson said. “We recommend everyone test their alarms regularly, replace batteries when needed, and ensure every home has working alarms on every level.”
It remains unclear when displaced residents will be allowed to return to the Hollywood Gateway Inn. The fire department has not released additional details about the extent of damage to the building or the timeline for the investigation into the electrical cause.