Two men were injured, one of them critically, in an early-morning fire at an east London motel Monday, officials say.
Emergency crews were called around 5:10 a.m. to a fire at the American Plaza Motel at 2031 Dundas St., where two men were taken to the hospital and firefighters contained the blaze to one unit, London Fire Department platoon Chief Jamie Britton said.
“The one occupant of the unit that was involved was taken out by another occupant of one of the other units and they’re both in hospital in serious condition with smoke-related injuries,” he said.
London police said one man had life-threatening injuries, while the other had serious injuries.
Britton said the motel, located east of Clarke Road, had been evacuated by the time firefighters arrived, but crews searched to building to ensure nobody was still inside.
“They confirmed all other occupants were out of the units and were able to knock the fire down quickly, he said.
More than two dozen firefighters helped battle the blaze, Britton said, and damage was estimated between $60,000 and $80,000.
No cause has been determined yet. London police and the Ontario Fire Marshal are assisting in the investigation.
Police temporarily closed nearby roads but all have been reopened.
The American Plaza Motel was the scene of a shooting and robbery that seriously injured a man on Nov. 25, 2022. Two men, 33 and 37, were later charged.