After a historic hotel caught fire, a picturesque tourist destination in New England declared a state of emergency, officials said on Saturday.
According to the Block Island Ferry website, the fire at the Harborside Inn on Block Island, Rhode Island, in the Old Harbor neighborhood of New Shoreham, began late Friday night. The hotel’s roof collapsed on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., but no serious injuries were noted.
On Saturday, the Block Island Chamber of Commerce said on Facebook that a state of emergency had been declared and that more than 50 firefighters had been transported to the location to put out the fire. Emergency vehicles were transported using ferry boats to aid in the firefighting operations. About nine miles south of the continent of Rhode Island is where Block Island is situated.
“Block Island is in an active State of Emergency and is asking visitors not to travel there (Saturday). There is limited water and no power in town.” the post read.
As of 7:45 a.m. on Saturday, the fire was still raging, according to WFXT Boston 25. By mid-afternoon on Saturday, an emergency alert stating that there was no electricity and little water in the town had been taken down from the Block Island Ferry website.
According to a news statement from the municipality, the Harborside Inn’s kitchen caught fire just before 11:30 p.m., and all guests could leave the 36-room inn safely. The state Fire Marshal’s office is still looking into the fire.
The fire broke out immediately after an “unprecedented” tornado caused devastation in Johnston and Scituate on the state’s mainland. The storm, the worst in the state in almost 40 years, also impacted North Providence, Cumberland, and Providence.
At least three residences were also damaged along with downed trees and broken power lines. On Saturday morning, the governor of Rhode Island, Dan McKee, congratulated first responders on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“From responding to an unprecedented tornado yesterday to helping contain a dangerous fire on Block Island, we are incredibly grateful for the tireless work of emergency responders across the state over the last 48 hours,” McKee said in a statement. “Thank you for keeping Rhode Islanders safe.”
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