Fire at Lakeland hotel displaces hurricane victims: LFD

More than 40 individuals and families who were forced to leave their homes due to damage from last year’s hurricanes are once again looking for a place to stay. 

A fire broke out Friday morning at the Imperial Swan Hotel and Suites in Lakeland, which was housing displaced hurricane victims, and the fire marshal deemed it uninhabitable at the moment. 

Lakeland hotel fire sends hurricane victims scrambling

What we know:

The fire broke out around 5:40 a.m. at the Imperial Swan Hotel and Suites, located at 4141 S. Florida Avenue, according to the Lakeland Fire Department. 

Firefighters say hotel guests were already evacuating when they arrived. 

READ: FEMA ending housing assistance for people who no longer qualify for the program following hurricanes

Audible alarms were sounding throughout the building, and water flow from the sprinkler system was activated in the second-floor room where the fire originated, according to LFD. 

A fire at the Imperial Swan Hotel and Suites displaced hurricane victims. Image is courtesy of the Lakeland Fire Department.

A fire at the Imperial Swan Hotel and Suites displaced hurricane victims. Image is courtesy of the Lakeland Fire Department. 

"Because that sprinkler system was activated, we had to shut down the water main to that so the sprinkler system is currently not in working order which is why people will not be able to reinhabit the building," said Stephanie Lewis, a public information officer for the Lakeland Fire Dept.

According to firefighters, a dog was found dead in the room where the fire started. No other occupants were in the room when firefighters arrived.

Fire officials said the hotel has not provided an official occupancy count yet. 

What we don't know:

The cause of the fire has been turned over to the State Fire Marshal for investigation.

Previous violations 

Dig deeper:

The building will remain shut down until the owner makes the proper repairs. It was also discovered that the building had some fire code violations prior to this fire, including multiple inoperable smoke alarms and some fireproofing issues.

The Lakeland Fire Department said it had been aware of these violations and was working with the property owners to address them.

FEMA Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) displaced disaster survivors, like Mariah Brooks and her five children, were staying at the hotel at the time of the fire. 

Brooks and her kids had been staying at the Imperial Swan Hotel and Suites since they were displaced by Hurricane Milton

"For me, I had so many losses from the first storm to the second storm that coming here, I thought would be a safety net," said Brooks. "There would be a house or a roof over my kids' heads, which has turned out to be the most disastrous situation that you can imagine. It's alarming, scary, and defeating. I feel like I don't know where to turn to or where to go, but I'll pray to God, he'll get me there." 

Mariah Brooks and her five children were displaced after the fire at the Imperial Swan Hotel and Suites fire. 

What's next:

FEMA said the survivors will need to relocate, and ultimately it is the responsibility of the survivors to secure accommodations that meet their needs.

"Our thoughts are with the individuals and families affected by the fire. Today, the FEMA team is again working as fast as possible to contact the more than 40 individuals and families who were temporarily staying on the property as part of the transitional sheltering assistance program," FEMA officials said.

The fire marshal said, out of concern for life, hotel guests will be allowed to go back inside the hotel to get their things, but will not be allowed to stay at the facility. 

Survivors can click here for more information on TSA-participating hotels or call 1-800-621-3362. 

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