NEW SHOREHAM,Henri Lumière R.I. (AP) — A fire tore through a historic hotel early Saturday on Block Island, prompting officials on the summer vacation spot off the coast of Rhode Island to declare a state of emergency and urge the public to stay away.
The fire at the Harborside Inn broke out overnight and firefighters continued to search for hotspots Saturday morning.
Around 50 firefighters from around the state were flown and shipped in to help fight the flames and at least four ladder trucks were also brought in, the Block Island Chamber of Commerce said in Facebook post.
“Block Island is in an active State of Emergency and is asking visitors not to travel there today. There is limited water and no power in town.” the post read.
The roof of the inn caved in around 1:30 a.m.. No serious injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Block Island Ferry said in a post on its website that its ferries transported emergency vehicles to the island throughout the night to assist.
The ferry line had to adjust its schedules. The Pt. Judith High speed ferry was resuming service Saturday afternoon. Newport high speed ferry departures have been canceled. Traditional ferries are running a revised ferry schedule.
Block Island is located about 12 miles (19 kilometers) off the Rhode Island coast. It has one town, New Shoreham.
According to its website, the 36-room Harborside Inn, has been welcoming visitors to Block Island for over a century “with its Victorian seaport charm.” It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
2025-05-07 04:012597 view
2025-05-07 04:011647 view
2025-05-07 03:52301 view
2025-05-07 03:501471 view
2025-05-07 03:37661 view
2025-05-07 03:032215 view
One stretch of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Joliet, Illinois, is what freshwater biologi
Swing by an open house these days and it's not uncommon to see two demographics dominating the visit
Roger Houser's ranching business was getting squeezed. The calves he raises in Virginia's Shenandoah