Rhode Island tourist spot Block Island declares state of emergency after hotel fire: officials

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An idyllic tourist destination in New England declared a state of emergency after a historical hotel caught fire, officials said Saturday.

The fire at the Harborside Inn on Block Island, Rhode Island, in the Old Harbor section of New Shoreham, started late Friday night, according to the Block Island Ferry’s website. The hotel’s roof caved in at around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, and no major injuries were reported.

The Block Island Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page announced the state of emergency Saturday, reporting that over 50 firefighters were flown onto the scene to fight the fire. Ferry boats were used to transport emergency vehicles to help the firefighting efforts. Block Island is located roughly nine miles south off the Rhode Island mainland.

“Block Island is in an active State of Emergency and is asking visitors not to travel there (Saturday). There is limited water and no power in town.” the post read.

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Over 50 firefighters were flown onto Block Island, R.I., to the scene of a large fire at the Harborside Inn in New Shoreham. (WPRI)

According to WFXT Boston 25, the fire was still active as of 7:45 a.m. Saturday. An emergency alert reporting that there was no power and limited water in the town was removed from the Block Island Ferry’s website by mid-afternoon Saturday.

In a press release, the town said the fire started in a kitchen of the Harborside Inn just before 11:30 p.m., and that all guests safely evacuated the over century old 36-room inn. The fire remains under investigation by the state Fire Marshal’s office.

The blaze comes shortly after an “unprecedented” tornado wrought havoc on the state’s mainland in Johnston and Scituate. North Providence, Cumberland and Providence were also impacted by the storm.

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The fire at the Harborside Inn in New Shoreham on Block Island, R.I., started overnight and continued into the morning. (WPRI)

At least three homes were damaged, along with ruined power lines and downed trees. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee thanked first responders on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday morning.

“From responding to an unprecedented tornado yesterday to helping contain a dangerous fire on Block Island, we are incredibly grateful for the tireless work of emergency responders across the state over the last 48 hours,” McKee said in a statement. “Thank you for keeping Rhode Islanders safe.”

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An “unprecedented” tornado wrought havoc in Johnston and Scituate, plus other Rhode Island communities. (Governor Dan McKee via Twitter)

Fox News Digital reached out to the Block Island Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department for a statement, but has not heard back.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.