Scottsbluff Rural Firefighters were called to the Sportsman Inn over the weekend on report of a room on fire.
Rural Fire Chief Paul Reisig says the call came across shortly before 4:30 a.m., with three trucks and ten firefighters arriving to find the room fully engulfed.
Reisig tells KNEB News the occupant of the room was able to get out safely, suffering from slight smoke inhalation.
“it was caused by the cigarette, the live end of the cigarette, dropped into a bed and caught on fire,” said Reisig. “There was an oxygen-rich environment (inside), an oxygen tank there, that helped spread it. Our people made entry and controlled it within five minutes.”
Reisig says damage to the room where the fire started, plus water and smoke damage to adjacent rooms was estimated at about $15,000, with $5,000 damage to the contents.
Firefighter Ministry also responded, providing assistance to the displaced occupant.
