21 Oct ATF Expected in Laredo Thursday to Help Investigate DoubleTree Hotel Fire

Federal fire investigators from the ATF are expected in Laredo on Thursday to help determine what caused the Oct. 7 fire at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, Mayor Victor D. Treviño said.

The city also has asked the state for help at the site. It filed State of Texas Assistance Requests with the Texas Division of Emergency Management for Texas Task Force 1 crews trained in structural collapse, including shoring and stabilizing damaged buildings. Neither the city nor the state has confirmed that those crews will be sent.

City officials have gained access to the building, and the city’s fire and police investigations are continuing. The hotel remains an active collapse site under an emergency declaration, and the city said keeping investigators and first responders safe is the priority while the cause is determined.

The fire broke out shortly before 1 a.m. Oct. 7 and forced out more than 100 guests, most of them National Guard members. It damaged the fifth and sixth floors and the parking areas, where trucks can still be seen from ground level. The 14-story building was declared structurally unsafe because of visible cracks, and streets and intersections around Garden Street and San Bernardo Avenue were closed. Officials have said stabilizing it could take up to six weeks.

The city has promised weekly updates as federal investigators arrive and requests for state help are confirmed.