Fire forces hundreds to evacuate River Walk hotel

SAN ANTONIO – Close to 500 people were evacuated from their hotel rooms after a fire broke out at a River Walk hotel late Thursday night.

San Antonio firefighters responded to the fire around 9:45 p.m. at the Hyatt Place San Antonio/Riverwalk located at 601 S. St. Mary's Street.

San Antonio fire crews said an air conditioning unit caught fire and spread to curtains in a guest room on the seventh floor. The fire set off the hotel's alarm system and the sprinklers.

Smoke filled the seventh floor, but the water from the sprinklers also ran down to other floors.

Firefighters extinguished the fire quickly and contained it, but there was heavy water damage to the hotel.

Guests were forced to stay outside for nearly three hours before they were allowed back into their rooms.

Many guests had to move to other rooms as well. No injuries were reported.