--
Nov. 24--Emergency crews have controlled a Warner Robins hotel fire, after battling the blaze for hours.
The Warner Robins fire department received a call just after 2 p.m. Thursday that the La Quinta Inn on Willie Lee Parkway off Watson Boulevard was on fire, said Warner Robins Fire Capt. James Franklin.
Hotel employees and guests were evacuated and there were no injuries, Franklin said. The fire was under control shortly after 4 p.m.
The fire started in a flower bed outside of the hotel, Franklin said. Hotel employees put out that fire, but it had already spread to the wall. The fire traveled up the wall to the building's attic, which it completely destroyed, he said. At one point, smoke could be seen billowing in the air from as far away as Interstate 75.
Officials are still investigating what may have caused the initial fire.
"We'll have at least one unit here all night," Franklin said. "We can't go inside (right now). All of the attic has fallen down into floors below it."
Warner Robins Police have completely blocked traffic on streets surrounding the hotel, except Watson Boulevard, said police spokeswoman Tabitha Pugh. Those streets will remain blocked well into the night and possible into Friday morning, she said.
For more on this story, check back to macon.com and read Friday's Telegraph.
Check back to macon.com and read Friday's Telegraph for more on this story.
