LAKELAND, Fla. — A fire at the Imperial Swan Hotel & Suites in Lakeland early Friday morning left some displaced disaster victims without a place to stay again.
According to the Lakeland Fire Department, fire crews were called to the hotel around 5:40 a.m. They found an evacuation in progress, audible alarms, and the sprinkler system was on in a second-floor room where the fire started.
The Lakeland Fire Department said the structure "has several existing fire code violations." Before Friday's fire, fire officials were working with the property owners to address the issues. The fire marshal closed the hotel out of "concern for life safety."
Some hotel guests were part of FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance program for displaced disaster survivors. They will have to relocate with FEMA's help.
Lakeland Fire said the hotel's owners had not provided an official occupant count as of late Friday morning.
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