A Burlington Hotel Collapsed, Prompting Over 100 to Evacuate

More than 100 people were evacuated from a hotel in Burlington, IA early Saturday morning after a partial collapse.

The news was reported by WHO 13 in Des Moines. At around 5am on Saturday, August 15th, the Burlington Fire Department said crews were sent to the Comfort Suites at 1780 Stonegate Center Drive after the hotel's fire alarm system activating.

Details on the Collapse:

The east portion of Comfort Suites' two-story section collapsed over the ballroom area of the hotel. Per WHO 13, the collapse was contained to that section of the structure, and didn't affect the three-story hotel portion, as initially reported by Burlington Fire.

Despite adverse weather conditions, the fire crews evacuated the hotel's 122 occupants. The departments declared the hotel unable to be occupied until the structure is repaired.

It was also reported that the owners of the Comfort Suites in Burlington are working to retain structural engineers to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the building to determine the extent of the collapse. A timetable on its repair won't likely be available for days, maybe even weeks.

Due to the collapse, all fire alarm, fire sprinkler suppression, electrical, and other building systems need to be restored and approved before business can resume. This unexpected closure for the hotel could extend for months.

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Furthermore, a cause for the collapse has not been revealed, and no injuries were reported, due to the collapse occurring away from where residents were staying. For more information on the collapse of the Comfort Suites in Burlington, IA, visit WHO 13's website.