Arrr! Block Island, a fine tourist spot in Rhode Island, be in a state o' emergency after a mighty hotel fire, say the officials!
2023-08-19
Arrr! Avast ye! The Harborside Inn on Block Island, Rhode Island, in New Shoreham be ablaze! Late on Friday night, the scallywags had to summon at least 50 brave souls o' the fire brigade to douse the inferno from above, flyin' in on their mighty wings.
An idyllic tourist destination in New England, Block Island in Rhode Island, declared a state of emergency after a historical hotel called the Harborside Inn caught fire. The fire started late Friday night and the hotel's roof caved in at around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Fortunately, there were no major injuries reported. The Block Island Chamber of Commerce's Facebook page announced the state of emergency, stating that over 50 firefighters were flown onto the scene to fight the fire. Ferry boats were used to transport emergency vehicles to assist in the firefighting efforts. Block Island, located about nine miles south off the Rhode Island mainland, was in an active state of emergency with limited water and no power in town. As of 7:45 a.m. Saturday, the fire was still active. However, by mid-afternoon, the emergency alert reporting the lack of power and limited water in town was removed from the Block Island Ferry's website. The fire started in the kitchen of the Harborside Inn just before 11:30 p.m. and all guests safely evacuated the 36-room inn. The fire is currently under investigation by the state Fire Marshal's office. This incident occurred shortly after an "unprecedented" tornado hit Johnston and Scituate, causing damage to several homes, power lines, and trees. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee expressed his gratitude to the emergency responders for their hard work in containing both the tornado and the dangerous fire. The Block Island Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department has not provided a statement regarding the incident at this time.