For the second time in almost two weeks, the Greenville Fire Department responded to a commercial fire call, this time occurring Tuesday morning in downtown Greenville at what was formerly the Key West Inn.
Greenville Fire Chief Ruben Brown said the call came in at about 7:53 a.m. and they were dispatched at that time to the building on Walnut and Percy streets.
“We responded with five units to the location along with the command staff,” Brown said. “Once on the scene, the first unit entered and saw heavy fire and flames from a hotel room on the first floor of the building.”
Brown said the building has been a vacant structure for years and has been unoccupied for more than seven years.
Brown also said once on scene, the southeast corner of the structure was totally engulfed in flames and those flames intensified and spread throughout the “common area.”
“After about two hours of fighting the fire, we requested mutual aid from Leland, Metcalfe and Riverside fire departments,” Brown shared.
The fire was pronounced under control at 10:39 a.m. and was completely out at 11:44 a.m.
The fire is currently under investigation by the state fire marshal, Greenville Police Department and the Greenville Fire Marshal division.
Brown said anyone who may have seen anything or heard anything as it pertains to the fire is encouraged to call 378-1616 (TIPS).
