The following is a joint press release from the Idaho Falls Fire Department and the Idaho Falls Police Department. 

Idaho Falls, ID: On Sept. 18 at approximately 2:36 a.m., Idaho Falls Emergency Dispatch received a call from a hotel occupant who reported smelling smoke from the first floor of the Le Ritz Hotel & Suites at 720 Lindsay Boulevard in Idaho Falls. The Idaho Falls Fire Department and Idaho Falls Police Department were dispatched to the two story, multi-occupant structure.

A ladder truck, three engines, two ambulances and a battalion chief responded. IFPD closed off Lindsay Boulevard from Wardell Avenue to N Utah Avenue. When the ladder truck arrived on scene there was nothing showing from the outside of the hotel. However, there was heavy smoke inside of the hotel.

Firefighters began searching each of the rooms on the first and second floors, and the hotel was evacuated. They quickly identified the room on the second floor that had a smoke detector going off.

Upon entry of the two room suite, firefighters found very heavy smoke but no active fire. There were no occupants inside the hotel suite. The bed, carpet and other bedside items inside one of the rooms had fire damage, but the fire was contained to the one room. There was smoke damage throughout the hotel suite. Firefighters checked the surrounding rooms for fire extension and took measures to ventilate the smoke from the affected hotel rooms.

There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. There were some hotel occupants who complained of smoke inhalation. However, there were no patients transported to the hospital.

The estimated damages are unknown at this time.

Elements of the fire appeared to be suspicious in nature, and investigators from the Idaho Falls Fire Department Fire Prevention Division and from the Idaho Falls Police Department are investigating the incident.

Media Note: There are no photos or other information available at this time.

Media Contact: Kerry Hammon, Public Information Officer, Idaho Falls Fire Department at (208) 612-8122 or khammon@idahofallsidaho.gov and Jessica Clements, Public Information Officer, Idaho Falls Police Department, (208) 612-8655 or jclements@idahofallsidaho.gov.