Stubborn Fire Continues 21 Hours After First Reported

OLYMPIA, May 22, 2020 - Two firetrucks and a batallion from Olympia Fire Department remained on the scene of the fire that destroyed the Quality Inn on Quince St., 21 hours after it was reported just after midnight. 

“The construction of the building contributed to us not being able to access the fire like we wanted,” according to Olympia Fire Department Battalion Chief Jason Waters. 

The wallboard in the top floor of the two story building was layered under plywood.  “The construction of the roof was a car-decking type which doesn’t allow us to penetrate from underneath … to gain access to those areas where fire travels, because [it was] concealed, Waters continued.  “Normally we can breach through and get to sheetrock, and pull it down.  In this case, we were trying to force our way through plywood and heavy, heavy decking.”

There was a concealed space between an old roof and a new roof, constructed many years ago.  Because of the age of the building, it did not have fire sprinklers.   The cause of the fire has not been fully determined, per OFD Assistant Chief Mike Buchanan on Friday afternoon.