Fire investigators search for cause after motel catches fire, extensive damages

VANDALIA — The Super 8 Motel has been damaged after a three-alarm fire started early Sunday morning.

>>PREVIOUS REPORT: Child injured, roof collapsed after fire at Super 8 Motel in Vandalia

Fire crews were dispatched to the motel on National Road at 4:15 a.m. on reports of a fire alarm but discovered there were flames burning.

Fire Investigator with the Vandalia Fire Department Scott Jacobs said they are working with the state’s fire marshals to find a cause.

“We want to make sure we can involve anybody that has any relevancy with the property. So, we did invite the state to come out there working with us sort of as a consulting on this one,” Jacobs said.

The fire inspectors have gone into the motel, but they had very limited access. Their main concern is making sure it’s safe and stable.

>>PREVIOUS REPORT: Owner: Reopened Super 8 Motel in Vandalia will ‘chart a new path;’ neighbors not so sure

“There’s a lot that has to take place, there will be some structural engineers that come out… Preliminarily, we’ve been able to get in and do a little bit of looking around and get some pictures. We’ve got a rough idea of maybe an area, but it’s still really early in the investigation to have any kind of a cause yet,” Jacobs said.

When crews first arrived on the scene, there wasn’t much visibility on the fire, but when it broke through the roof, it became apparent, Jacobs said.

“Our crews did a great job getting knocked down a lot, a lot of long hose leads to get water into this property, so, they got a really great knockdown on it got that down very quickly, obviously a lot of help from mutual aid companies,”

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A small section of the roof over the pool and drive-thru collapsed shortly after crews arrived on the scene.

But the damage to the motel wasn’t all caused by the fire. Jacobs said the water usage was more damaging than the fire because it took place on the third floor, and while traveling down, it created a flooding effect.

“The heaviest amount of damage is due to water and the fact that we have to take a lot of the ceiling out to knock the fire down. So, there is some rooms that have got some decent damage. But that’s not due to the fire, it’s going to be due to the water damage,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs said the team also must look at the potential electrical, plumbing, and structural damage before reopening.

The motel currently doesn’t have power because fire investigators are still unclear on the extent of damage to the electrical system.

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Jacobs said the motel will have security posted outside for the building’s protection until the electrical and structural aspects are safe again.

“The infrastructure that goes to it with the roof structure above it. Anything else that’s involved with it, the fire alarm, all of that has to be in 100% order... The fire alarm did exactly what it was supposed to do,” Jacobs said.

This motel has been on News Center 7′s radar for a year since Vandalia condemned the motel for violating fire codes.

It reopened less than two weeks ago, after being closed for nearly a year.

>>PREVIOUS REPORT: Vandalia motel condemned, owners arrested after multiple code violations

The new owner told News Center 7 that they hoped reopening would chart a new path and they would not repeat the mistakes of the previous owners, but now they must work to rebuild again.

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