Hotel Fire Remains Under Investigation

Tuesday, September 18th 2007, 4:09 pm

By: News On 6

A fire at Tulsaâ€™s iconic Camelot Hotel on Peoria near I-44 is under investigation. The News On 6â€™s Emory Bryan reports the building is being demolished and that changed how firefighters responded.

The neighbors crowded along the fire line on Tuesday watching the Camelot burn, again.

"I can think of a dozen times probably just in the last couple of years," neighbor Kent Guthrie said.

Fires at the Camelot are not uncommon, but usually they're small and set by transients. Tuesdayâ€™s fire was larger, though there wasn't much flame considering the amount of smoke.

A demolition crew was working in the area when the fire started, but the cause isn't known. As part of the demolition, anything that is loose in the hotel is being pushed outside. The trash, which included mattresses and carpet, was in a stack on the roof of a one story concrete structure when the fire started.

The fire department sent their biggest trucks, and dozens of people, because of the potential for a huge fire, but since the building is about to be demolished the firefighters stayed outside and sprayed water through the windows.

"We don't want to jeopardize our firefighters by putting them inside," said Tulsa Fire Department Chief Allen LaCroix.

The Camelot is such an icon that anything that happens to it is of interest, so more people than usual were watching the fire, many of them taking pictures in case this was the last chance they'd get.

"I'm really glad to see it go, but it's kind of an exciting death," Tulsan Elizabeth Belknap said.

The Camelot has survived before and in this case, most of the fire damage was on the outside. Time has done much more damage to the building, and what was saved this time will be torn down and replaced with a convenience store.

"It'll be better than this," said neighbor Stuart Price.

There have been no reports of injuries from the fire.

The Camelot Hotel was condemned in 1996 and has been empty ever since. It is being demolished to make way for new development in the area, including a new QuikTrip.

Watch the video: Fire At Camelot Hotel Contained

Related Stories:

9/8/2001 Future Of Camelot Hotel

1/18/2002 Camelot Hotel Items Being Liquidated

12/3/2006 Crumbling Landmark Hotel Escapes Wrecking Ball

4/10/2007 Camelot Hotel Could Soon Become A Distant Memory

4/11/2007 The Fall Of Camelot

4/27/2007 Local Stone Cutter Designed Some Medieval Protection For The Camelot Hotel

6/2/2007 The End Of The Camelot

9/17/2007 Demolition Begins\