LEBEC, CA (Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 9:40 p.m.)—The Kern County Fire Department has just made a press release about the fire reported this afternoon (below):

Lebec, CA – On Saturday March 31, 2012 at approximately 3:41 P.M., a call was received by the Kern County Fire Department for a structure fire in the 600 block of Wainright Ct. in Lebec, at a three story hotel. Approximately 18 Kern County firefighters responded to the incident. Fire crews responded from as far as Lamont.

Upon arrival, crews reported smoke showing from some first floor windows to the three story hotel and immediately asked for a second alarm. The first arriving engine company made an initial attack on the fire which was located in the hotel laundry room. Additional arriving crews helped evacuate hotel occupants and did a thorough search of every room of the three story hotel. Fire sprinklers helped keep the fire contained to the laundry room.

Damage to the structure is estimated at about $150,000.00 and firefighters were able to save approximately $6,000,000 in property to the remainder of the hotel.

The cause of the fire was determined to be caused by a hotel dryer fire. There were no reported injuries to hotel occupants or firefighters. The hotel fire alarm system alerted all of the hotel occupants of the fire, allowing them to vacate the building safely. Visitors are being assisted with accommodations at nearby properties while repairs are being made to the hotel.

LEBEC, CA (Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 6:45 p.m.)–Kern County Fire Station 56 reported at 6:43 p.m. it had completed its assignment at the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Lebec, after recharging the hotel’s sprinkler system. According to Captain Erik Vibe, the fire was limited to one laundry room where a clothes dryer caught fire. Two sprinklers were activated in the laundry room and the fire was prevented from spreading. "The hotel’s sprinkler and alarm systems worked perfectly," Vibe told The Mountain Enterprise this evening.

LEBEC, CA (Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 4:15 p.m.)–A small fire at the Holiday Inn Express in Lebec was reported at 3:50 p.m. Kern County Fire Department Stations 55, 56 and 57 responded with assistance from CHP Fort Tejon Office. All occupants of the hotel were evacuated. Fire crews located and extinguished a laundry room fire near the front of the hotel.

This is part of the March 30, 2012 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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