Chief credits sprinklers with controlling fire at hotel in Port

A fire at the Harborview in downtown Port Washington Sunday night was largely extinguished by the hotel’s sprinkler system, something Fire Chief Joe DeBoer credited with minimizing damage and ensured the safety of hotel guests.

“I’m just thankful they had a sprinkler system,” he said Monday. “Without this vital system, the fire could have rapidly intensified, endangering the safety of guests, staff and fire department personnel.”

The fire department was called to the hotel at 7:46 p.m. Sunday after a staff member saw smoke at the rear of the building.

Police  officers and a fire crew arrived at about the same time and gained access to the area, and DeBoer said they discovered that the sprinkler system kept the fire under control.

The fire was extinguished by the first fire crew to arrive on the scene, DeBoer said, and afterward crews helped with clean up in the hotel’s kitchen, restaurant and lobby.

The department was at the hotel until about 9:30 p.m., he said.

The fire was in the kitchen storage area of the Beacon, the hotel’s restaurant, which was closed at the time, DeBoer said, and no one was in the area at the time of the fire.

“It could have been cooking for some time,” he said.

The hotel had eight guests, who were evacuated until the fire was extinguished, he said. Because the fire damage was limited, they were able to continue their stay at the hotel.

Because of the potential for fire to spread beyond the kitchen and without knowing how many guests were at the hotel, dispatchers called out fire and ambulance crews from the Ozaukee Central, Belgium and Jackson fire departments to help, DeBoer said.

Also assisting were the Port Police and Public Works departments and We Energies, he said.

DeBoer said the cause of the fire is under investigation, adding that it is not believed to be suspicious.