Four-alarm fire leaves several displaced, injured in east Charlotte

CHARLOTTE — A four-alarm fire broke out in an east Charlotte hotel Saturday night, leaving several people injured and more without housing.

CFD released Sunday morning they investigated the fire and determined it was caused by “carelessly discarded smoking materials.” They did not rule out potential electrical failures as contributing to the fire.

Multiple crews responded to the large fire at the Golden Green Hotel on Independence Boulevard around 8 p.m. Saturday.

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At the scene, responding crews could see smoke coming out of the top of the building.

STRUCTURE FIRE UPDATE: 3000 block E Independence Blvd. 8PM fire went 4th alarm. Incident was controlled in 80 minutes (8:57PM). Firefighters rescued two victims. @MecklenburgEMS evaluated six patients. One patient transported with minor injuries. pic.twitter.com/KBSpxa6z0t
— Charlotte Fire Dept (@CharlotteFD) December 31, 2023

According to MEDIC, a total of six people were evaluated, and all had minor injuries, but they are expected to be alright.

Just before 8 p.m., the fire was deemed a third-alarm fire. At 9, the CFD announced that it was a four-alarm fire.

Multiple MEDIC units, fire crews respond to fire at east Charlotte hotel

The department said it took 80 minutes to control the fire. Crews rescued two people, and one person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Veteran crime reporter Glenn Counts went to the scene and learned from residents that the flames started on the third floor. CFD says it was contained in just one room in the hotel.

Dozens of Queen City residents refer to the hotel as home and were greeted on Saturday night with fire alarms and thick smoke. People like Michael Jones had to find their way to the stairwell to escape.

“I went back inside and automatically started putting clothes on; I went back outside; I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face; the smoke was so thick,” Jones said. “I did what I was trained to do: get down and crawl; stay down and crawl. Luckily, I was in the corner, so I barely made it to the stairwell where I could make my way down.”

Officials have not released the total number of people evacuated from the hotel, but three buses are being used as temporary shelter for them.

The fire caused around $250,000 in damage to the hotel.

It’s unclear whether or not they will be able to return to their rooms tonight.

This is a developing story; check back at wsoctv.com for updates.

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