Overnight fire destroys Bashaw Motor Inn: 3 people sent to hospital

Three people were transported to hospital in Edmonton with serious injuries following a fire at the Bashaw Motor Inn Sunday morning.

RCMP were called to the scene at around 1:15 a.m.

“The hotel was occupied at the time,” Sgt. Shawn French said. “Police are now establishing if all persons in the hotel at the time of the fire were accounted for.”

Police have spoken to another person who was inside the hotel at the time of the fire. However, French said, “it doesn’t sound like that person had any injuries.”

Police and fire investigators are trying to determine what caused the fire and whether or not it was suspicious.

Randy Thomas has lived beside the hotel for approximately six years. He was watching television around 1:15 a.m. when he heard a loud rumble.

“It shook my house. I thought it was a train at first because we’ve had a few derailments through here,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It shook my house. I thought it was a train at first because we've had a few derailments through here," he said.

“As soon as I looked out the window, I knew exactly what happened – the place exploded.”

Thomas then rushed outside.

His father Trevor followed.

“You could see the wood structure. It went up in flames so fast and it kept on burning. You’re getting more explosions and explosions all the time,” he said.

ATCO officials confirmed they were also called to the scene.

Ryan Germaine, ATCO senior director of district operations, said crews received a call around 1 a.m. Sunday.

He said there was a fire when crews arrived on scene around 2 a.m.

Harry Ullrich and his partner Marina Carl were in Bashaw visiting for the long weekend and live around the corner from the inn. They were settling in for the night when they heard a loud noise.

“It was a pretty big bang, more than snow falling off the roof,” Ullrich said.

He left the house to see what had happened.

“I came around the front, I’m looking at the house, I look down the street and the whole end of the street is flames [about] 40 feet high.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I came around the front, I'm looking at the house, I look down the street and the whole end of the street is flames [about] 40 feet high."

Carl said the incident is eerie considering the family had been thinking about staying at the inn.

Social Media posts show the massive fire at the site of the Bashaw Motor Inn.

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The Bashaw Motor Inn is located off Highway 53 near Highway 21.

Bashaw is about 136 kilometres southwest of Edmonton.