Elyria hotel project collapses after fire rips through construction site

CrimeA hotel under construction went up in flames Monday morning, Elyria fire reported. By Lizzie Kaboski, cleveland.comELYRIA, Ohio — A Monday morning fire torched the site of a hotel development in Elyria that was scheduled to open in October, Elyria Fire Chief Joe Vargo said. Firefighters were called to the scene around 2 a.m. to investigate a report of smoke in the area. When they noticed smoke and fire, they called in additional crews for help to fight the blaze at 1765 Travelers Lane, the construction site of a Hilton Hotel. “They found that the fire had blown through the roof,” Vargo said. “The flames were about 15 feet high.”The cause of the fire is unknown.About four aerial apparatuses, extendable ladders attached to fire trucks, were used to fight the fire. By 7:30 a.m., crews had gotten control of the fire “somewhat,” Vargo said. Then, the building collapsed. Crews still have not been able to go inside the building to continue putting out smaller fires that may exist inside the structure. Firefighters from Lorain, Elyria Township, Avon and Sheffield Village were on scene to assist, Vargo said. “Flames were smoldering and burning underneath [the walls],” Vargo said. “We couldn’t go inside for the safety of our guys.”As of approximately 11 a.m., fire crews waited for an excavator to arrive at the scene to help them enter. No residents or guests should have been in the building because it is under construction, Vargo said. However, they cannot be 100% sure until they go inside. The $6 million project was developed by Sunrise Hospitality, a hotel development and operations company, Elyria Mayor Kevin Brubaker said. The project was set to be a Home2Suites and Tru dual extended-stay hotel with 153 rooms. Sunrise Hospitality owns the Courtyard Marriott at 1755 Travelers Lane next to the development and a Hampton Inn & Suites at 1795 Lorain Blvd. Construction crews started building the hotel in September 2024 and were expected to finish in November, Elyria Mayor Kevin Brubaker said. The deal was a result of what the city said was an “increasing demand” for travelers looking for hotels between Cleveland and Cedar Point during the summer, according to a 2024 Facebook post from the City of Elyria’s page. Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to Sunrise Hospitality for comment. Lizzie covers criminal justice for Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer. She is originally from the Chicago suburbs and studied journalism and theatre at Indiana University. Previously, Lizzie covered public...