Nashville hotel fire: Firefighters investigate possible arson
Nashville Fire Department investigators are asking the public for information in connection with a fire that took place at a vacant hotel Monday morning.
The fire was reported about 6:15 a.m at the former American Inn at 1360 Brick Church Pike just south of Trinity Lane.
According to officials, a fire crew was responding to a medical call at a nearby hotel when a woman came in and said the hotel was on fire.
The crew reported it to dispatch and firefighters were at the scene in five minutes and began fighting the fire.
Fire spokeswoman Kendra Loney said a woman told arriving firefighters she was asleep in the abandoned hotel’s lobby when she woke up and saw another woman pouring gas near her. The unidentified woman, she said, then set the fire.
The woman who had been sleeping said she watched the other woman flee on foot from the area after a fire started.
The fire quickly spread from the first-floor front office area to the rest of the building. Multiple people called 911 to report seeing the fire from Interstate 65.
The woman was taken to a hospital to be treated for non life-threatening injuries, Loney said.
Arson investigators also responded to the scene.
The building has been closed since at least 2018 Loney said.
Loney said the Metro Codes Department will be called to investigate why people were inside the hotel when it was vacant.
Anyone with information about who is involved with starting this fire is asked to call the NFD Arson Hotline at 615-862-5640 or the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017. The hotline is answered 24 hours a day you can remain anonymous when providing information.
Cash awards up to $5,000 are offered for information leading to an arrest or conviction in the case.
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking news in Nashville for USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE. Reach her at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
