Downtown New Orleans Hotel Evacuated for Fire

A downtown New Orleans hotel was evacuated Saturday after a fire in a fourth-floor laundry room. No injuries were reported.

The fire started Saturday evening after 6 p.m. at the Intercontinental Hotel on St. Charles Avenue, a few blocks southeast of the French Quarter.

Fire Capt. Edwin Holmes said the fire was mostly contained by the sprinkler system to the laundry room, but there was a lot of smoke and firefighters were still working to ventilate the building.

Guests were taken to the ballroom of the Hilton hotel across the street. The hotel was at about 85 percent occupancy with 600 guests.

Holmes says 91 firefighters responded, mostly for manpower to make sure all the rooms were evacuated.