Hampton Inn near North Naples evacuated after mini fridge catches on fire

The Hampton Inn on Northbrooke Plaza Drive in North Naples was evacuated Saturday morning after a mini fridge caught on fire.

According to officials with the North Collier Fire & Rescue district, firefighters responded to a call about smoke in one of the rooms. When crews arrived they found a mini fridge that had caught on fire.

Deborah Madison and Amy Rivera, who traveled from Puerto Rico to the Gulf Coast to celebrate a friend’s birthday, were among the guests staying at the hotel.

“Nothing. They let us know—we had breakfast; there was a fire in one of the rooms, and there was a huge commotion outside. No, no, no, no—no alarm went off,” Madison said.

Madison said they were initially confused about the situation.

“We didn’t understand what was happening until we were told that the refrigerator in the room right next to ours had caught fire. Naturally, we were worried,” she said.

Guests were evacuated from the hotel as firefighters extinguished the fire. North Collier Fire Battalion Chief said fans were placed throughout the building to eliminate smoke because the windows could not be opened.

Madison shared the challenges they now face after the incident.

“Our clothes, our shoes—everything reeks of smoke. Our shoes are covered in ash. Now everything is flooded. We’ve been allowed to gather our things, and we’re going to look for somewhere else to stay,” she said.

Crews say that no one was treated for smoke inhalation, and that evacuations like this are universal for hotels.

Guests that were staying in the affected rooms have been given the option to move to another room on the other side of the hotel, or to leave altogether.