By Lookout Staff
December 11, 2017 -- The Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica was evacuated Saturday evening as firefighters extinguished a blaze that broke out on the top floor of the high-rise building downtown, Fire Department officials said.
Seven patients were treated by paramedics on the scene after suffering from smoke inhalation but none required hospitalization.
Fire firefighters responded to multiple reports of a fire at the 18-story hotel at 1111 2nd Street shortly before 7:30 p.m.
Minutes later, fire crews "found a large volume of fire visible on the exterior of the top floor," said Captain Patrick Nulty, the Fire Department spokesman.
Due to "the complexity of the building" a 2nd Alarm was immediately requested which brought in crews from the Los Angeles Fire Department, Nulty said.
"As hotel guests were evacuating, firefighters quickly made their way up stairwells to 'The Penthouse' restaurant located on the top floor," he said.
"Moderate offshore winds fanned the flames which broke out glass windows and spread the fire into the restaurant," Nulty said.
"Fast acting staff used fire extinguishers to fight back the flames until firefighters made their way up to fight the fire."
It took 40 firefighters 18 minutes to extinguish the blaze, which mostly damaged the exterior, causing minor fire and smoke damage inside the restaurant.
Fire Department investigators "sifted through the debris and were unable to find a specific cause of the fire," which appeared to start within the decorative polystyrene moldings on the exterior of the building, Nulty said.
There is no evidence of foul play.
Guests were allowed to re-enter the hotel, which remained open except for the “The Penthouse” restaurant, Nulty said.
