By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Three people died Wednesday morning around 1:30 a.m. after being trapped in a fire at the Econo Lodge in Wooster Township, Ohio, near Cleveland, when flames engulfed the back section of the facility.
- A resident called the motel front desk stating occupants were unable to escape the burning building; firefighters made multiple rescue attempts but were unable to reach those trapped before they perished.
- Two of the three deceased worked at the motel; the motel employee told media that a trapped resident’s call to the front desk indicated occupants could not evacuate.
- The fire consumed a one-story detached section at the back of the motel building with flames shooting through the roof upon firefighter arrival.
- No other injuries were reported; firefighters conducted room-to-room evacuations of guests in other sections of the motel; the cause remains under investigation.
WOOSTER, OHIO — Three people died in a fire at the Econo Lodge early Wednesday morning after becoming trapped in a room as flames spread rapidly through the motel structure.
Wooster Township Fire Chief Dallas Terrell responded to the fire at approximately 1:30 a.m. Firefighters found heavy fire and flames shooting through the roof of the one-story detached section at the back of the motel facility.
A motel employee told news media that one of the trapped residents called the front desk, stating that occupants in the room were unable to get out. The employee confirmed that two of the three people who died were motel employees.
Firefighters made several attempts to reach the people who were trapped in the burning structure. Despite rapid response and multiple rescue efforts, the three occupants could not be rescued and perished in the fire.
Authorities conducted room-to-room evacuations of guests in other sections of the motel to ensure no additional occupants remained in the facility. No other injuries were reported.
The fire caused heavy damage to the back, detached section of the Econo Lodge. The cause of the fire is under investigation by fire officials.