Prank Causes the Early Morning Evacuation of 340 People From the Phoenix Grand Hotel

(SALEM) - Hotel guests at the Phoenix Grand Hotel in Salem were roused from their sleep early Sunday morning when the hotel's fire alarm system was activated. Guests on the second floor reported smoke in the corridor on their floor.

Salem Firefighters received the call for a commercial fire at 201 Liberty Street SE at 5:26 AM on Sunday according to Spokesman Bill Holmstrom. Hotel guests told first the arriving firefighters that the second floor was full of smoke.

Firefighters investigated the second floor and determined that the smoke hotel guests' saw was actually dust from a fully discharged fire extinguisher.

No other problems were found as firefighters searched other floors. Guests were allowed back into their rooms about 20 minutes after the incident began.

Holmstrom says the incident appears to be an illegal prank by someone. They say they aren't sure who was responsible for the prank.

Salem Police are conducting an investigation. Hotel staff told them that someone pulled all the fire extinguishers from the cabinets on the 2nd and 3rd floors just last weekend.

Salem-News.com Top Stories

2025: Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Two Wars with No Way Out

No One Owns the Future

The Ugly Origins of Trump's America First Policy

A One-State Solution Could Transform the World

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Henry Ruark October 19, 2006 2:37 pm (Pacific time)

Al: Sometimes words of wisdom occur by coincidence...you are dead right about turning child into adult; that requires skillful educational enterprise. But turning adult into child is one of the ongoing longterm goals and working plans of the advertising industry, set forth in early books on persuasion for purchase...will cite when can find right ones.

Albert Marnell October 19, 2006 8:56 am (Pacific time)

Sounds like a teenage prank. I do not really know about teenage boys today but thiry-five years ago we were not taught about how serious this kind of thing is. A teenager is a cross between an adult and a child. Unfortunately, society will always have to live with this. You can not turn a child into an adult overnight. Sometimes it never works.

[Return to Top]