Update: Fire at Fresno motel used for homeless displaces 5. Cause under investigation

Fresno firefighters responded to a fire Tuesday at a former motel along Highway 99 now used for housing homeless residents.

The fire was reported about 6:30 a.m. at Sun Lodge, which is a former Days Inn, on Parkway Drive south of Olive Avenue.

One unit was visibly charred where crews knocked down flames, but 16 units needed to be assessed for potential water and smoke damage, according to Deputy Chief Ted Semonious.

Witnesses said the resident of the most damaged unit was seen leaving shortly before the flames became visible, Semonious said. Multiple calls to 911 reported flames coming from the room.

“It’s too early to say what caused it,” Semonious said.

No one reported injuries as of Tuesday morning, he said.

The former Days Inn and a number of properties in the area were purchased by the city through Project Homekey, a 2020 state program to take rundown motels and hotels and turn them into housing for the homeless.

City employees assessed the damages Tuesday morning and five people from four units needed to be temporarily moved, according to H Spees, director of housing and homeless initiatives for the city.

They were all able to stay at the Sun Lodge in other units while the city works on fixing those rooms, Spees said, adding the total costs for repairs are not yet clear.

The units there can hold anywhere from one to three people, who most often are friends, related or in a relationship, he said.

The Fresno Housing Authority has money in its budget for such repairs, Spees said.

“Fortunately everybody is safe. The people in those rooms have been re-roomed,” he said. “We have very few situations like this but they don’t surprise us when they happen.”

The Fresno Housing Authority released a statement from CEO Tyrone Roderick Williams.

“Fresno Housing has been working with our partners today to ensure that all individuals affected by the fire this morning have a relocation plan and a safe place to sleep tonight,” the statement said.

This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 7:30 AM.

Thaddeus Miller

Merced Sun-Star

559-441-6015

Reporter Thaddeus Miller has covered cities in the central San Joaquin Valley since 2010, writing about everything from breaking news to government and police accountability. A native of Fresno, he joined The Fresno Bee in 2019 after time in Merced and Los Banos.