NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Fire Department is investigating possible arson as the cause for a two-alarm fire that broke out at the Sunrise Inn and Suites in New Orleans East on Tuesday night.
The NOFD responded to a call in the 8400 block of I-10 the Service Road on Tuesday night at around 11:43 p.m. and arrived at 11:50 p.m. to find the two-story brick hotel in flames, according to a press release.
Video footage showed an adult woman intentionally setting fire to a tree in front of the hotel.
Later, that same woman was captured walking to the rear of the building where the larger fire was set. The NOFD says that Fire Investigators are currently trying to locate this woman.
The fire was upgraded to a two-alarm fire but NOFD was able to limit its extension before it spread to most of the hotel. Firefighters were also able to extinguish a second small fire.
The larger fire was near the left side of the hotel which was vacant and undergoing renovations, according to a press release. NOFD reports no injuries but is investigating the fire as aggravated arson.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.