CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Several crews from the Charlotte Fire Department were able to extinguish a four-alarm fire at a Charlotte hotel Saturday evening.
The department responded to the eight-story historic Golden Green Hotel around 7:40 p.m., with smoke pouring out of the hotel when they arrived on the scene. The department shared a video that showed a firefighter using a ladder to access the upper levels of the hotel.
Medic said seven patients were assessed at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries or conditions tied to the fire. Charlotte Fire said one patient was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
The fire was likely caused by "carelessly discarded smoking materials," Charlotte Fire Department said in a statement on Sunday.
But, the department said, an electrical failure "was not completely eliminated" as a possible cause.
Battalion Chief Brian Beatty said during a news conference the fire was contained to one room on the third floor within 80 minutes.
WCNC Charlotte's crew on the scene spoke to people who were inside the hotel when the fire broke out, including the person who was in the room where the fire reportedly started.
Quashawn McCullough told WCNC Charlotte the fire started in his room while he was taking a shower. He claims it started from an outlet in his room.
"We heard popping noises when we were in the bathroom," McCullough shared.
That's when he heard the alarms. He said he hurried up and ran into the hallway.
"I couldn't even breathe," McCullough said.
McCullough said he's recently experienced homelessness and he lost everything in the flames, including clothes, shoes and Christmas gifts.
"I was losing everything," McCullough admitted. "I just thank God that me and my cousin made it out safely 'cause we could have been dead."
Fire at Golden Green Hotel
Hugo Leao had only checked in 30 minutes before he heard screaming while he was watching TV in his hotel room. He ran out of his second-floor room shirtless and evacuated to safety using the stairs.
Alione Diouf, who's visiting Charlotte from Senegal, was inside when he heard knocking at his neighbor's door. When he got up, he saw smoke which caused him to run outside.
"I couldn't see nothing," Diouf said. "It was crazy, man."
Since he's been here for about six months seeing family, he said he based his evacuation off of his memory.
"Thank God I know my step ... where the stairs are," Diouf said.
The Golden Green Hotel is an institution in that area of town, as it's been in operation since around 1970. According to the hotel, it's housed many famous celebrities including Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen. The hotel is veteran- and Black-owned.
Charlotte Fire Department estimated the property loss from the fire to be about $250,000.
Due to combined efforts from CFD, the American Red Cross and the hotel's property management company, living arrangements were made for displaced residents at two nearby hotels.
CATS provided transportation for those residents to the other accommodations.
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