Fire prompts evacuation of Columbia hotel
A dryer fire forced guests at a Columbia hotel to evacuate late Tuesday. Firefighters responded to fire alarms at the Hilton Garden Inn on Vandiver Drive shortly before midnight.
They found smoke in the lobby and traced the fire to a commercial dryer. An automatic sprinkler head put out the fire.
No one was hurt, but guests had to stand outside until firefighters made sure it was safe. The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage. The cause hasn’t been determined.