Austin (Kxan) – A hotel and vacante restaurant caught fire near the interstate 35 and the University of Texas on the Austin campus on Sunday night, sending huge columns of black smoke in the air that could be seen from miles away.
The Public Security Active Incidents website in the city of Austin showed that firefighters responded to the 2700 Cole Street block, one block from the I-35 front road near a restaurant and the hotel. A photo sent to Kxan shows flames that leave several hotel windows.
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A vacant hotel near the interstate 35 and the University of Texas on the Austin campus burst into flames on Sunday, sending columns of smoke to the air that could be seen by miles. (Photo courtesy of Dustin Haisler) -
Austin Fire Department that responds to the fire in the 2900 block of North Interstate 35 Service Road on Sunday (courtesy of the Austin Fire Department)
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Austin Fire Department that responds to the fire in the 2900 block of North Interstate 35 Service Road on Sunday (courtesy of the Austin Fire Department)
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Great fire in a vacant hotel near the UT campus explodes in flames (courtesy of NIC)
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Fire near I-35 north of the UT Campus on Sunday night (Frank MartÃnez/Kxan)
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Fire near I-35 north of the UT Campus on Sunday night (Frank MartÃnez/Kxan)
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Fire near I-35 north of the UT Campus on Sunday night (Frank MartÃnez/Kxan)
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Fire near North I-35 Service Road block on Sunday night
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Fire near North I-35 Service Road block on Sunday night
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Fire near North I-35 Service Road block on Sunday night
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Black Smoke Obling about Austin on Sunday night (courtesy representative Michael McCaul)
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Smoke pen near the UT Campus on Sunday night (Kxan Photo/ Frank Martinez)
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Great fire in a vacant hotel near the UT campus explodes in flames (courtesy of NIC)
The Austin Fire Department said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but fire investigators cause the scene. More than 60 firefighters responded to the fire.
Lisa Herrera saw “huge black smoke ovules” of the fire while driving on his way from southern Austin and “had to do what happened.”
“It was super, super black smoke,” he said. “Occasionally, you could see a gray light, but it was the complete darkness that covered everything. It was crazy. Thank God for firefighters; they are doing a great job.”
She said she received a notification of the Kxan News Smartphone application with details about the fire.
AFD said electricity went out in the area due to the height of the flames and that a firefighter was treated by a heat -related injury. Austin-Travis EMS County wrote on social networks that he had several units on the scene to support firefighters, but had not treated any patient.
The heavy smoke closed the lanes south of the interstatal 35, according to a notice sent to the leaders of the city. AFD said the front path will be closed for “a time.”
Both buildings that burned had been empty for some time. The hotel, previously a Rodeway Inn, had been covered with graffiti. Aster’s Ethiopian restaurant closed this summer, according to a publication on the restaurant’s social media page.
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(Tagstotranslate) Austin Fire Department (T) Interest 35 (T) Frank MartÃnez (T) University of Texas in Austin (T) Black Smoke