Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant Christiana, DE – Kitchen fire at TownePlace Suites hotel knocked down by sprinkler system September 24, 2017 viking210 A fire inside a guest room at a Christiana hotel on Thursday was ruled accidental by officials later that day. The Delaware State Fire Marshal determined the cause of the blaze—which was reported around 4:30 p.m., on the fourth floor of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott, located at 410 Eagle Run Road—was a cardboard box that had been placed on top of a working stove. According to state fire investigators, as the box was placed on the appliance, it accidentally turned on a burner by contacting the burner control knob. The building’s fire sprinkler system had been operating properly, officials advised, allowing a nearby sprinkler head to detect and, subsequently, extinguish the flames. Officials reported no injuries among hotel guests, who were alerted to evacuate by the building’s fire alarm system. Alternate accommodations were provided to guests at other Marriott properties, until the hotel could be reopened. No estimate of damages was provided.
