Overnight fire nearly destroys McAlester area motel

MCALESTER, Okla. - Oklahoma state fire officials are investigating an overnight blaze that nearly destroyed a motel near McAlester last week.

McAlester fire officials said the fire at the Budget Inn on State Highway 69 was first reported shortly after midnight Wednesday.

When the McAlester Fire and other departments arrived, firefighters found the lobby office and laundry room fully engulfed in flame and that flames were spreading through the roof to the south wing, McAlester Fire Department Fire Marshal Bobby Tucker told 2NEWS.

It took four of the department's companies, four engines, plus crews and tanker trucks from Krebs, Savanna, Bugtussle and Alderson nearly four hours to bring the blaze under control. The last crew left the scene at 6:20 a.m., he said.

The department has since handed the investigation to the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal's Office due to the scene's location outside of the city limits.

Assistant State Fire Marshal JoAnne Sellars told 2NEWS on Monday investigators have as of yet determined no cause of the fire and are still investigating. She said they believe the fire which “greatly damaged” the 22-room hotel is believed to have started in an unoccupied room near the office. 

The fire also damaged a car parked outside the same room.

Officials reported no injuries.