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1 dead, 2 injured after massive hotel fire in Kittery, Maine

Video shows intense flames at hotel

1 dead, 2 injured after massive hotel fire in Kittery, Maine

Video shows intense flames at hotel

PERSON WAS FOUND IN THE PART OF THE BUILDING WITH THE WORST DAMAGE AND BIGGEST BURN. FIREFIGHTERS.. TRIED TO GET THERE FIRST.. BUT IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS. <KITTERY FIRE PRESSERó1 40:17- IT IS UH, FIREFIGHTERS NIGHTMARE WITH INDIVIDUAL ROOMS AND HALLWAYS AND EVERYTHING ELSE SO TRUST ME WHEN I SAY I WAS EXTREMELY HESITANT WHEN I SENT MY FIREFIGHTERS INTO THAT BUILDING 28> KITTERY MAINE FIRE CHIEF DAVID O'BRIEN.. SAYS THE FIGHT WAS DIFFICULT.. AND DANGEROUS TRYING TO GET THE FIRE AT THE DAYS INN UNDER CONTROL. SOME SAY -- THEY FEEL LUCKY THEY WEREN'T IN THERE AT THE TIME. <MICHAEL JONES/HOTEL GUEST (JIM) DAYS INN FIRE-SOT TVU "I DO A LOT OF TRAVELING AND NOTHING LIKE THIS HAVE EVER HAPPENED. I COUNT MY BLESSINGS THAT I WASN'T IN THERE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE. I COULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED IN THERE, BUT I'M OUT AND I'M SAFE."> TWO PEOPLE.. INCLUDING A FIREFIGHTER.. WERE HURT. ONE PERSON.. DIDN'T MAKE IT OUT. THE VICTIM'S BODY FOUND IN THE PART OF THE BUILDING WITH THE WORST DAMAGE AROUND 2 OCLOCK THIS AFTERNOON. <KITTERY FIRE PRESSERó1 40:51-41:03 THEY MADE EVERY EFFORT TO GET THERE. AND ABOUT 3 MINUTES INTO THAT, THEY REPORTED BACK THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET ANY FURTHER UP. THEY WERE ABOUT TWO TO THREE ROOMS AWAY FROM THAT ROOM.> THE CHIEF.. CALLING ALL FIREFIGHTERS TO GET OUT OF THE BUILDING AFTER THAT, THE FLAMES WERE SO BAD. THE CLEAN UP AND INVESTIGATION ALREADY WELL UNDERWAY, BUT THE HEALING PROCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN. <KITTERY FIRE PRESSERó1 43:16-43:34 I HAVE SEVERAL YOUNG FIREFIGHTERS THAT THIS WOULD BE THEIR FIRST FATAL FIRE. WE WILL BRING THEM IN. WE HAVE A CHAPLAIN. WE WILL SIT DOWN AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT DEBRIEF AND DISCUSS IT AND AND HAVE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT UH, THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN. AND IT'S THEY DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD> THE MEDICAL EXAMINE
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1 dead, 2 injured after massive hotel fire in Kittery, Maine

Video shows intense flames at hotel

Fire officials in Maine said one person is dead after a massive hotel fire in Kittery on Wednesday. The fire broke out at the Days Inn on the Route 1 Bypass around noon Wednesday. Crews from nearby departments, including from multiple New Hampshire communities, helped battle the flames.The body of the victim was found inside the gutted Days Inn around 2:15 p.m. Thursday, according to the Maine fire marshal's office. Their identity has not yet been confirmed. Officials said the body was found in an area of the building with the worst damage and the biggest burn.Kittery Fire Chief David O'Brien said his firefighters tried to get to that area during the first few minutes of the fire, but it was too dangerous. "It is a firefighter's nightmare with individual rooms and hallways," the fire chief said. "Trust me when I say that I was extremely hesitant to send my firefighters into that building."The fire marshal's office said Thursday afternoon that they believe everyone is accounted for. Two people, including a firefighter, were treated for injuries Wednesday, according to the chief. >> Raw videos: Fire at Days Inn causes thick smoke plume | Flames tearing through hotel | Officials give update on Kittery, Maine, hotel fire | Kittery Fire Chief gives additional updates on hotel fire | Fire Marshal says 1 dead after massive Kittery, Maine, hotel fireThe fire chief said some hotel records might not have been fully up to date, which made it difficult to determine if everyone made it out. He said some people were living at the hotel full-time.Some said they feel lucky they weren't in there at the time. "I do a lot of traveling and nothing like this have ever happened," said Michael Jones, a hotel guest. "I count my blessings that I wasn't in there. It could have been a lot worse. I could have been trapped in there, but I'm out and I'm safe."Officials are asking the public if they know anyone who had been living there to call them at 207-439-1638.>> See more video of the flames:Town officials said the property owners recently filed paperwork to have the hotel torn down and replaced with a new building.The building, estimated at $1.6 million, partially collapsed and is considered a total loss.Investigators said a K-9 did not find accelerant in the building.The clean up and investigation are well underway, but the healing process for the community has only just begun. "I have several young firefighters that this would be their first fatal fire. We will bring them in. We have a chaplain," O'Brien said. "We will sit down and we'll go through that debrief and discuss it, and have them understand that things like this happen and they did everything they could."The fire marshal said the investigation is continuing. See the latest press conference in the player below:--

Fire officials in Maine said one person is dead after a massive hotel fire in Kittery on Wednesday.

The fire broke out at the Days Inn on the Route 1 Bypass around noon Wednesday. Crews from nearby departments, including from multiple New Hampshire communities, helped battle the flames.

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The body of the victim was found inside the gutted Days Inn around 2:15 p.m. Thursday, according to the Maine fire marshal's office.

Their identity has not yet been confirmed.

Officials said the body was found in an area of the building with the worst damage and the biggest burn.

Kittery Fire Chief David O'Brien said his firefighters tried to get to that area during the first few minutes of the fire, but it was too dangerous.

"It is a firefighter's nightmare with individual rooms and hallways," the fire chief said. "Trust me when I say that I was extremely hesitant to send my firefighters into that building."

The fire marshal's office said Thursday afternoon that they believe everyone is accounted for.

Two people, including a firefighter, were treated for injuries Wednesday, according to the chief.

>> Raw videos: Fire at Days Inn causes thick smoke plume | Flames tearing through hotel | Officials give update on Kittery, Maine, hotel fire | Kittery Fire Chief gives additional updates on hotel fire | Fire Marshal says 1 dead after massive Kittery, Maine, hotel fire

The fire chief said some hotel records might not have been fully up to date, which made it difficult to determine if everyone made it out.

He said some people were living at the hotel full-time.

Some said they feel lucky they weren't in there at the time.

"I do a lot of traveling and nothing like this have ever happened," said Michael Jones, a hotel guest. "I count my blessings that I wasn't in there. It could have been a lot worse. I could have been trapped in there, but I'm out and I'm safe."

Officials are asking the public if they know anyone who had been living there to call them at 207-439-1638.

>> See more video of the flames:

Town officials said the property owners recently filed paperwork to have the hotel torn down and replaced with a new building.

The building, estimated at $1.6 million, partially collapsed and is considered a total loss.

Investigators said a K-9 did not find accelerant in the building.

The clean up and investigation are well underway, but the healing process for the community has only just begun.

"I have several young firefighters that this would be their first fatal fire. We will bring them in. We have a chaplain," O'Brien said. "We will sit down and we'll go through that debrief and discuss it, and have them understand that things like this happen and they did everything they could."

The fire marshal said the investigation is continuing.

See the latest press conference in the player below:

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