Fire forces evacuation of Goodyear hotel

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - A fire caused the evacuation of a hotel in Goodyear Saturday night.

Russ Braden with the Goodyear Fire Department said the call was reported as a sprinkler activation at the Holiday Inn Suites at Dysart and McDowell roads.

When crews got to the hotel they evacuated people from 41 rooms and headed to a room on the third floor where firefighters were unable to open the door because it was blocked.

Goodyear police forced their way into the room and Braden said the small fire had already been put out by the sprinkler system.

Darryl Rivers with the Goodyear Police Department said when officers got into the room furniture was pushed up against the door and it had been set on fire. He said the door had been locked with the security latch.

Rivers said the person who was checked into the room was a 21-year-old Buckeye woman and police are now looking for her.

Braden said there is water damage to that room and many of the surrounding rooms.

He said once the sprinkler system is reset, hotel management will be able to relocate guests to other rooms.