A small fire forced more than a hundred people to be evacuated from the Monterey Hotel and Spa on Saturday. Seaside and Monterey firefighters were able to extinguish the 3:21 p.m. blaze within 15 minutes. The fire didn’t injure anybody, and caused only minimal damage. The sprinkler-system that helped control the flames, however, flooded several of the lower floors of the complex, and caused significant damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it is believed to be related to a fan motor that malfunctioned. Guests were allowed back to their rooms later in the day.
