A fire destroyed the Soho House hotel in Chicago, forcing a complete evacuation.
Plumes of smoke rose from the exclusive hotel at 113 North Green Street in the Fulton Market neighborhood Wednesday morning, as flames shot from the sidewalk.
According to the Chicago Fire Department, the cause was an electrical vault fire and the situation was classified as a Level 2 hazardous materials response.
Reports said the building shook and the water tank on the hotel’s roof ruptured, causing water to flow into the elevator shaft.
“There was a loud explosion and it actually smelled like burnt coffee, not so much roasted coffee, and then the fire alarm went off,” hotel guest Robert Watkins said WLS.
Plumes of smoke rose from the Soho House hotel in Chicago on Wednesday morning
The Chicago Fire Department said the source was an electrical vault fire and called the situation a Level 2 hazardous materials response
“They went door to door, the hotel did a great job getting everybody out. We came out, you could see out the front of the building a huge fire coming out of the manhole cover into the street, 10 foot high flames, a lot of smoke, a lot of crackling and popping, like little explosions and they got us over to this side of the street and the fire department showed up.”
Crews successfully extinguished the fire and continued to evacuate approximately 50 guests and employees from the hotel, officials said. WGN.
Energy company ComEd arrived on site and reported that the safe was without power.
At least 39 customers are experiencing power outages. No injuries have been reported.
Employees and guests of the members-only hotel were accommodated on a Chicago Transit Authority bus
Firefighters are inspecting vaults and can be on site to hose down the rooms and check CO levels in the building.
Employees and guests of the members-only hotel were accommodated on a Chicago Transit Authority bus, officials said.
The Soho House Chicago website is still accepting reservations for the hotel on Wednesday. The cheapest room is $600 a night, not including the thousands of dollars in annual fees.
Firefighters are inspecting vaults and may hose them down on site and check CO levels in the building.
According to the Chicago Fire Department, the air quality is normal and power has been lost in the hotel.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.