Air-conditioning fire at Comfort Hotel, East Perth
A FIRE in a sixth-storey air-conditioning unit has forced the evacuation of the Comfort Hotel, in East Perth.
The fire erupted in the external air-conditioning unit attached to an exterior wall.
Fire crews raced to the Hay Street, East Perth hotel just after 11am to extinguish the blaze.
Dozens of guests at the hotel were evacuated and one unit appears to have suffered significant smoke damage.
Fire crews smashed a window of the unit and are inside the hotel, wearing breathing apparatus.
Officers are also being raised on an external lift to get more water or fire suppressant foam onto the unit from the outside of the building.
Comfort Hotel is on Hay Street near the intersection of Bennett Street.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services were called out at 11.13am after reports of smoke coming from the building.
Seven crews were sent to the scene.
A chef at the hotel said the blaze triggered the hotel’s fire alarm and all staff and guests were told to “get out’’ of the building as quickly as possible.
A DFES spokeswoman said the cause was an external air-conditioning unit which caught fire.
Police are also in attendance to manage road traffic, with surrounding streets closed.
Source: The Daily Telegraph / Perth Now, 3rd September 2015
Originally published as: Air-conditioning fire at Comfort Hotel, East Perth
