According to a spokesperson for Henrico Fire & EMS, crews responded to the Candlewood Suites at 4120 Tom Leonard Drive just before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, for report of a fire.
The spokesperson said the occupants of a hotel room had noticed smoke coming out of the air conditioning and heating unit and reported it to the front desk.
When the smoke worsened, they left the room — which caught fire shortly after. The flames soon spread to the curtains above the unit.
The sprinkler system was triggered by the smoke, which automatically notified first responders. Additionally, these sprinklers kept the fire from spreading beyond the window area, which is “exactly what you want [the sprinklers] to do,” according to the spokesperson.
Fire crews reportedly arrived within three minutes of receiving the call. There was still some visible fire on the outside of the building, so firefighters worked to put that out before entering the building.
No injuries were reported, according to the spokesperson.
The hotel was damaged by the flames themselves, as well as the smoke, heat and soot that came along with it. Fire crews deactivated the sprinkler system when possible, but there was still some water damage, according to the spokesperson.
Due to this damage, occupants are being relocated by hotel staff. According to the spokesperson, they are being moved to either other available rooms or to another hotel.
The spokesperson said this fire is considered accidental. No other information is available at tis time.
