A fire in the Le Méridien Hotel in downtown New Orleans forced evacuations of guests and staff Sunday afternoon.The New Orleans Fire Department arrived after 4 p.m. to the hotel to find the building and its stairwells consumed with smoke. Officials said the building was quickly evacuated.The NOFD determined the origin of the fire was on the 24th floor of the hotel in its mechanical room, but the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.The hotel lost power, according to the NOFD, and when the power was turned back on, a fire started.Fire officials said 21 people were evaluated and treated by New Orleans Emergency Medical Service. They added 10 New Orleans firefighters were taken to a local hospital for smoke inhalation and were stable at the time they were transported.The NOFD said at the time of the fire, the 410-room hotel was about 95% occupied. Le Méridien New Orleans issued a statement Monday:"We are grateful to the New Orleans Fire Department for their response Sunday afternoon. We have relocated all guests to alternate hotels in the area while we assess the situation. The cause of the fire is under Fire Department investigation, and we stand ready to assist as appropriate. It is too soon to estimate damages or understand other details. When we have more information, we will share it." A fire in the Le Méridien Hotel in downtown New Orleans forced evacuations of guests and staff Sunday afternoon. The New Orleans Fire Department arrived after 4 p.m. to the hotel to find the building and its stairwells consumed with smoke. Officials said the building was quickly evacuated. Advertisement The NOFD determined the origin of the fire was on the 24th floor of the hotel in its mechanical room, but the cause of the blaze is still under investigation. The hotel lost power, according to the NOFD, and when the power was turned back on, a fire started. Fire officials said 21 people were evaluated and treated by New Orleans Emergency Medical Service. They added 10 New Orleans firefighters were taken to a local hospital for smoke inhalation and were stable at the time they were transported. The NOFD said at the time of the fire, the 410-room hotel was about 95% occupied. This content is imported from Facebook. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Le Méridien New Orleans issued a statement Monday: "We are grateful to the New Orleans Fire Department for their response Sunday afternoon. We have relocated all guests to alternate hotels in the area while we assess the situation. The cause of the fire is under Fire Department investigation, and we stand ready to assist as appropriate. It is too soon to estimate damages or understand other details. When we have more information, we will share it."<doc-sep>The fire broke out near the intersection of Conti and Bourbon streets and was contained around 10:45 a.m., NOFD officials say NEW ORLEANS — Two people were taken to the hospital after a five-alarm fire broke out in a French Quarter restaurant early Saturday, sending restaurant workers scurrying and closing down traffic to what is normally a busy block of eateries. Two people were transported to a local hospital after complaining about smoke inhalation, according to information released Saturday afternoon. A nearby hotel was also evacuated. The New Orleans Fire Department learned of the fire just before 7 a.m. Saturday morning at the Oceana Grill near the intersection of Conti Street and Bourbon Street in the French Quarter through a 911 call. Story continues under video Oceana Grill, the Copper Monkey Bar & Grill and Olde N'Awlins Cookery, as well as several other businesses, were affected by the fire, NOFD spokesman Louis Carrier said. The fire was originally reported as a 2-alarm blaze before being upgraded to a 4-alarm shortly after it was discovered and upgraded again to a 5-alarm just before 10 a.m. After several hours, 23 fire units and more than 90 firefighter battling back the flames, officials ruled the blaze under control around 10:45 a.m. "The damage is going to be extensive," said New Orleans Fire Captain Edwin Holmes. "We're going to be here all day. The 700 block of Conti will be closed all day and possibly into tomorrow." French Quarter fire damages Oceana Grill, Olde N'awlins Cookery, shuts down Conti Street 1/5 2/5 3/5 4/5 5/5 1 / 5 Conti Street was closed by emergency responders from Dauphine to Royal streets. Bourbon Street has been closed off from Bienville Street to Saint Louis Street. City officials have not given an estimated time for the re-opening of the streets. Fire officials have not provided any details about the cause of the fire, but a couple of men who said they were workers at Ocean Grill said the fire started at the fryer and the flames were intense. Holmes said they went up through the roof.<doc-sep>
firefighters took shifts climbing the smoke-filled stairs to fight the flames. NEW ORLEANS — Ten firefighters were treated for breathing in smoke as the New Orleans Fire Department contained a four-alarm fire at a hotel in the Central Business District Sunday. Firefighters were still outside the Le Meridien Hotel in the 300 block of Poydras Steet Monday morning. Hours after the fire had been controlled, smoke started coming from a manhole cover on the street around 7 a.m. Monday. Entergy New Orleans was called to the scene to investigate. Sunday, hotel workers and firefighters evacuated hundreds of guests from the 410 room hotel around 4 p.m. after smoke was spotted coming from the top of the building. Firefighters arrived at the hotel to find most of the hallways and stairwells filled with smoke. An Entergy spokesperson said power to the building was cut at the fire department's request. First responders called for more crews to find and fight the fire, elevating the blaze to four alarms by 6 p.m. The fire was deemed under control at 7:15 p.m., the fire department said. Firefighters said the hotel's sprinkler system, which activated throughout the building, helped contain the flames. The NOFD later said that the source of the fire was electrical and started in a mechanical room on the 24th floor, the top of the hotel. While investigators know the fire was electrical, the cause is still under investigation. Le Meridien staff said the hotel was at 95% capacity when the fire started and guests were not able to stay in the building overnight. Employees were working with guests to set up other accommodations. Many guests, unable to re-enter the building to get their belongings, sat outside waiting to find out where they would be staying. Because the power was cut, firefighters took shifts climbing the smoke-filled stairs to fight the flames. At least 10 firefighters were taken to the hospital for breathing in smoke. Those firefighters were listed in stable condition.