AN OVERLOADED ELECTRICAL OUTLET IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF SUNDAY’S FIRE AT THE LAKE HOTEL ON THE FIRST BLOCK OF LAKE STREET IN SALINAS. THE BLAZE, WHICH REPORTEDLY CAUSED BETWEEN 50 AND 75 THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE, BEGAN IN A 2ND FLOOR UNIT, BUT QUICKLY SPREAD TO NEIGHBORING ROOMS. 3 PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE ROOM WHERE THE FIRE BEGAN, SUFFERED INJURIES, BUT FIREFIGHTERS SAY THE SMOKE DETECTORS WORKED PERFECTLY, AND THAT PROBABLY SAVED LIVES.
AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE, THE 25 TENANTS OF THE RESIDENTIAL HOTEL WERE DISPLACED, AND THEIR RED CROSS VOUCHERS ONLY PROVIDED THEM WITH HOUSING THROUGH LAST NIGHT…AND NOW THE PLACE THEY CALLED HOME HAS BEEN RED-TAGGED.