AUSTIN (KXAN) — A vacant hotel caught fire near Interstate 35 and the University of Texas at Austin campus Sunday evening, sending huge plumes of black smoke into the air that could be seen from miles away.
The city of Austin’s public safety active incidents website showed firefighters were responding to the 2700 block of Cole Street, a block away from the I-35 frontage road near a restaurant and the hotel. A photo sent to KXAN shows flames coming out of several windows of the hotel.
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A vacant hotel near Interstate 35 and the University of Texas at Austin campus erupted in flames Sunday, sending plumes of smoke into the air that could be seen for miles. (Photo courtesy of Dustin Haisler) -
Austin Fire Department responding to fire in the 2900 block of north Interstate 35 service road on Sunday (Courtesy Austin Fire Department) -
Austin Fire Department responding to fire in the 2900 block of north Interstate 35 service road on Sunday (Courtesy Austin Fire Department) -
Large fire at a vacant hotel near UT campus erupts in flames (Courtesy Nic) -
Fire near I-35 north of UT campus on Sunday evening (Frank Martinez/KXAN) -
Fire near I-35 north of UT campus on Sunday evening (Frank Martinez/KXAN) -
Fire near I-35 north of UT campus on Sunday evening (Frank Martinez/KXAN) -
Fire near the 2900 block of north I-35 Service Road on Sunday evening -
Fire near the 2900 block of north I-35 Service Road on Sunday evening -
Fire near the 2900 block of north I-35 Service Road on Sunday evening -
Black smoke billowing above Austin on Sunday evening (Courtesy Rep. Michael McCaul) -
Plume of smoke near UT campus Sunday evening (KXAN Photo/ Frank Martinez) -
Large fire at a vacant hotel near UT campus erupts in flames (Courtesy Nic )
Lisa Herrera saw “huge billows of black smoke” from the fire while driving on her way from south Austin and “had to see what happened.”
“It was super, super black smoke,” she said. “Occasionally, you could see a light puff of gray, but it was complete darkness that covered everything. It was crazy. Thank God for firefighters; they’re doing a great job.”
She said she received a notification from the KXAN News smartphone app with details about the fire.
The Austin Fire Department said that electricity was shut off in the area due to the height of the flames, and that no injuries have been reported as a result of the blaze. Austin-Travis County EMS wrote on social media that it had multiple units on the scene to support the firefighters but had not treated any patients.
Heavy smoke shut down the southbound lanes of Interstate 35, according to a notice sent to city leaders.
Both buildings that burned had been empty for some time. The Rodeway Inn had been covered in graffiti. Aster’s Ethiopian Restaurant shut down this summer, according to a post on the restaurant’s social media page.
KXAN has a crew headed to the scene to gather more information, and this story will be updated with more details as we learn them.
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