Vacant resort erupts into flames close to Interstate 35, UT campus

[ad_1] AUSTIN (KXAN) — A vacant resort and restaurant caught hearth close to Interstate 35 and the College of Texas at Austin campus Sunday night, sending big plumes of black smoke into the air that might be seen from miles away.

The town of Austin’s public security lively incidents web site confirmed firefighters responded to the 2700 block of Cole Road, a block away from the I-35 frontage highway close to a restaurant and the resort. A photograph despatched to KXAN reveals flames popping out of a number of home windows of the resort.

<img alt="A vacant hotel near Interstate 35 and the University of Texas at Austin campus erupted in flames Sunday, sending plumes of smoke into the air that could be seen for miles. (Photo courtesy of Dustin Haisler)" loading="lazy" width="900" height="580" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/X_sWU9z5fLEh9DDceSAgFg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYxOTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/kxan_articles_390/9c006d8b6e732da0684b3b77ab7e4a5e"/> A vacant resort close to Interstate 35 and the College of Texas at Austin campus erupted in flames Sunday, sending plumes of smoke into the air that might be seen for miles. (Photograph courtesy of Dustin Haisler)

<img alt="Austin Fire Department responding to fire in the 2900 block of north Interstate 35 service road on Sunday (Courtesy Austin Fire Department)" loading="lazy" width="900" height="675" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/a84qZ5kQTnYEtVZbT61Npw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTcyMDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/kxan_articles_390/3496142f368123fdd3b1dd7e765ce96d"/> Austin Hearth Division responding to fireside within the 2900 block of north Interstate 35 service highway on Sunday (Courtesy Austin Hearth Division)

<img alt="Austin Fire Department responding to fire in the 2900 block of north Interstate 35 service road on Sunday (Courtesy Austin Fire Department)" loading="lazy" width="540" height="720" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/FMKd5RJPPySW70zNdEPpog--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTEyODA7Y2Y9d2VicA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/kxan_articles_390/3bfb1096c69e53a3962df879863c1f67"/> Austin Hearth Division responding to fireside within the 2900 block of north Interstate 35 service highway on Sunday (Courtesy Austin Hearth Division)

Massive hearth at a vacant resort close to UT campus erupts in flames (Courtesy Nic)

Hearth close to I-35 north of UT campus on Sunday night (Frank Martinez/KXAN)

Hearth close to the 2900 block of north I-35 Service Street on Sunday night

<img alt="Black smoke billowing above Austin on Sunday evening (Courtesy Rep. Michael McCaul)" loading="lazy" width="540" height="720" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/8TQvG.E6L27eJayr8B_c6Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTEyODA7Y2Y9d2VicA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/kxan_articles_390/218361f459531130044e458fe088c723"/> Black smoke billowing above Austin on Sunday night (Courtesy Rep. Michael McCaul)

Plume of smoke close to UT campus Sunday night (KXAN Photograph/ Frank Martinez)

Massive hearth at a vacant resort close to UT campus erupts in flames (Courtesy Nic )

The Austin Hearth Division mentioned the reason for the hearth has but to be decided, however arson investigators are working the scene. Greater than 60 firefighters responded to the blaze.

Lisa Herrera noticed “big billows of black smoke” from the hearth whereas driving on her approach from south Austin and “needed to see what occurred.”

“It was tremendous, tremendous black smoke,” she mentioned. “Sometimes, you can see a light-weight puff of grey, nevertheless it was full darkness that lined every part. It was loopy. Thank God for firefighters; they’re doing a terrific job.”

She mentioned she acquired a notification from the KXAN Information smartphone app with particulars in regards to the hearth.

AFD mentioned that electrical energy was shut off within the space because of the top of the flames and that one firefighter was handled for a heat-related damage. Austin-Travis County EMS wrote on social media that it had a number of items on the scene to help the firefighters, however had not handled any sufferers.

Heavy smoke shut down the southbound lanes of Interstate 35, in accordance with a discover despatched to metropolis leaders. AFD mentioned the frontage highway can be closed for “some time.”

Each buildings that burned had been empty for a while. The resort, previously a Rodeway Inn, had been lined in graffiti. Aster’s Ethiopian Restaurant shut down this summer season, in accordance with a publish on the restaurant’s social media web page.