Arson investigation underway after fire rips through old hotel in Birmingham UPDATE: Birmingham Fire Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo said an arson investigation is underway after a fire ripped through the old Hospitality Inn on 7th Avenue South Tuesday morning. Carillo said one firefighter suffered minor injuries while battling the blaze, which destroyed five buildings including two restaurants that were open when the fire started.Look for more updates here and on WVTM 13 News. Grab the WVTM 13 News app and follow this developing story.—Birmingham firefighters are battling a two-alarm fire at the abandoned Hospitality Inn on 7th Avenue South.Birmingham Fire Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo said 50 to 60 personnel are working the fire that broke out shortly after 9 a.m. It's unknown at this time if anyone was inside the building when the fire started. There are no reports of injuries. "At this point we are in a defensive mode, which means we're in the process now of making sure nothing else around this building burns," Carillo said. Police have closed 22nd Street South from 6th Avenue to 8th Avenue. Click here to check the WVTM 13 Traffic Map. Stream the scene on social media: WVTM 13 on FacebookWVTM 13 on Twitter UPDATE: Birmingham Fire Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo said an arson investigation is underway after a fire ripped through the old Hospitality Inn on 7th Avenue South Tuesday morning. Carillo said one firefighter suffered minor injuries while battling the blaze, which destroyed five buildings including two restaurants that were open when the fire started. Look for more updates here and on WVTM 13 News. Grab the WVTM 13 News app and follow this developing story. Advertisement — Birmingham firefighters are battling a two-alarm fire at the abandoned Hospitality Inn on 7th Avenue South. Birmingham Fire Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo said 50 to 60 personnel are working the fire that broke out shortly after 9 a.m. It's unknown at this time if anyone was inside the building when the fire started. There are no reports of injuries. "At this point we are in a defensive mode, which means we're in the process now of making sure nothing else around this building burns," Carillo said. Police have closed 22nd Street South from 6th Avenue to 8th Avenue. Click here to check the WVTM 13 Traffic Map. Stream the scene on social media: WVTM 13 on Facebook This content is imported from Facebook. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. WVTM 13 on Twitter This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.<doc-sep>A long-vacant Birmingham hotel caught fire yet again on Thursday, two days after a two-alarm fire seriously damaged the Hospitality Inn and spread to four other Southside buildings. Today’s fire started around 1:14 p.m. and is now also a two-alarm fire. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo said today’s fire is likely the result of arson, as was Tuesday’s fire. This fire too will take several hours to bring under control, Carrillo said. Second fire at Hospitality Inn also suspected to be arson just like Tuesday’s fire, Birmingham Fire sportsman Sebastian Carillo says. Second fire is in adjacent building that did not catch fire Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/6v82b5A3PZ — Howard Koplowitz (@HowardKoplowitz) March 14, 2019 Carrillo said high winds are complicating containment. “Any time we have high winds like this it really hampers our efforts,” he said. No injuries have been reported in today’s fire, although Carrillo said there is an unconfirmed report that there was a person in the Hospitality Inn. Fire officials won’t know for sure until fire is contained and they can conduct searches. Carrillo urges anyone who may have seen a person enter the Hospitality Inn to call police. The flames are burning the power lines above the building. This is a developing story and will be updated.<doc-sep>
Birmingham firefighters spent hours Tuesday battling a two-alarm blaze that started at a vacant Southside hotel and spread to four other buildings. The fire was intentionally set, according to fire officials, and remains under investigation. A Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service firefighter was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation and is expected to be released tonight. The fire erupted about 9:11 a.m Tuesday at the old Hospitality Inn on Seventh Avenue South between 21st and 22nd streets, near the UAB Hospital complex. Between 50 and 60 firefighters battled the flames hours before it was finally brought under control in the afternoon, said Birmingham Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo. BFRS Battalion Chief Sebastian Carillo said 50 to 60 firefighters are battling the blaze and he expects the fight will be a long haul pic.twitter.com/4074tA2BIy — carol robinson (@RobinsonCarol) March 12, 2019 There were six engine companies two truck companies, two rescue units and two battalion chiefs on the scene. Birmingham police arson investigators also are at the location. “We will be in a long-term operation from this point on,” Carrillo said. The Hospitality Inn has been closed for at least five years. It is adjacent to Yum Yai thai restaurant and the Chai Market. Carrillo said there is a firewall between the businesses which had helped to slow the spread, but the fire eventually jumped the firewall. It spread to both of those businesses, as well as two other vacant buildings. Carrillo said all five are a total loss. Transients are known to stay in the building but no one was found inside after the blaze was extinguished. Carrillo said. Birmingham police said they have reports and a vague description of someone running from the building as flames erupted. Carrillo Tuesday afternoon said the fire was intentionally set, but said he could not yet disclose what led to that conclusion.