Laredo Declares Emergency After Hotel Fire

A three-alarm fire broke out shortly before 1 a.m. Oct. 7 at the 14-story DoubleTree hotel on Garden Street in Laredo, prompting the evacuation of more than 100 guests and a large emergency response. No deaths or major injuries were reported, though eight people sought hospital care for smoke inhalation. The building was deemed structurally unsafe, keeping investigators out and preventing guests from retrieving belongings; nearby streets were also closed, with no reopening or access timeline announced. The city declared an emergency, while the hotel’s independent owner, Shreem Laredo LP, said it hired a structural engineer to assess and stabilize the building and is cooperating with the investigation. Hilton said the hotel is independently owned and operated under a franchise.