Fire officials try to figure out the cause of a blaze that heavily damaged a Petersburg motel

Bill Atkinson, Petersburg Progress-Index
Thick smoke rolls from the second floor of the American Inn on County Drive in Petersburg Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Everyone was successfully evacuated from the motel, but one firefighter suffered minor burns. Twenty-nine families who live at the motel were relocated to other area motels.
Thick smoke rolls from the second floor of the American Inn on County Drive in Petersburg Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Everyone was successfully evacuated from the motel, but one firefighter suffered minor burns. Twenty-nine families who live at the motel were relocated to other area motels.

PETERSBURG − A fire early Tuesday afternoon heavily damaged a city motel, seriously hurting no one but displacing 29 families who call the building home.

It happened around 1 p.m. at the American Inn, 2209 County Drive, not far from Fort Gregg-Adams, city spokesperson Joanne Williams said in an email. Heavy fire was reported coming from rooms on the motel's second floor.

Williams said it took fire crews less than 30 minutes to put the fire out.

Colonial Heights firefighters assisted on the call. At its peak, more than 25 firefighters were battling the blaze.

One firefighter suffered minor burns but was treated at the scene and did not require hospitalization.

Firefighters examine the damage caused by a blaze at the American Inn on County Drive in Petersburg Tuesday, April 23, 2024. There were no serious injuries but 29 families were displaced.
Firefighters examine the damage caused by a blaze at the American Inn on County Drive in Petersburg Tuesday, April 23, 2024. There were no serious injuries but 29 families were displaced.

The Petersburg fire marshal closed the motel, and everyone inside was successfully evacuated from the charred building. Williams said the families who lived at the American Inn were relocated to other motels in the area.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Fire causes serious damage at Petersburg motel

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