Monday night, people staying at the Omni Hotel in downtown Charlottesville were forced out into the rain when an electrical fire broke out. The hotel was evacuated just after 7:00 p.m.
Officials say the fire was caused by an electrical short in the air handling unit on the sixth floor. By the time crews arrived on scene, hotel staff members had already put out the flames with a fire extinguisher.
Jim Butler, a guest at the Omni, said that after hearing and reading about hotel fires, he was quick to get out. "I was in my room. The alarms went off. I opened the door to see if it was a false alarm, and I could smell smoke in the hallway. So I quickly gathered a few things in my room and left," he explained.
Investigators say no one was hurt. Crews spent about an hour ventilating the halls before guests were allowed back inside. The fire is still under investigation.
