Saturday, January 24, 2015

ONE ELDERLY PERSON DEAD IN SATURDAY MORNING I-44 MOTEL FIRE IN SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA



ONE ELDERLY PERSON DEAD IN SATURDAY MORNING I-44 MOTEL FIRE IN SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA. DOZENS OF ROOMS DESTROYED.



Saturday, January 24, 2015

SAPULPA, OK - At least one man has died and a firefighter sustained minor injuries in a fire that destroyed multiple rooms and displaced dozens of guests at a motel on Interstate 44, officials confirmed Saturday.

Firefighters were called to the Interstate Inn Express, at the 5500 block of West Skelly Drive, around 8:35 a.m. after receiving reports of second-story units being on fire, Sapulpa Battalion Chief D.J. Keizor said. They arrived to see nearly all of the units in the easternmost section "fully involved" in flames, he said.

The Tulsa Fire Department arrived about an hour later to assist Sapulpa, which sent its full fleet to fight the blaze, Keizor said.

Multiple motel guests said a man, who they described as older, died after being unable to escape in time. His name wasn't available as of late Saturday morning.

Keizor said EMSA transported at least one person to a nearby hospital, as well as treated others on-site, including a Sapulpa firefighter who suffered a minor hand burn. That firefighter has since returned to working at the scene.

The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner is on scene and firefighters are continuing to search through the rubble to see if anyone else died in the incident. Multiple fire investigators are also looking into what caused the fire.

The Red Cross has also arrived at the complex to assist displaced motel guests, many of whom said they have been living at the motel for at least three months. The motel offers a $110 per week rate.