Fire at Days Inn Hotel

The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) said firefighters found the upper level smoke-logged by the fire in the Old Commodore Inn, in Brisbane Street, about 6pm (AEST).

A TFS spokesman said the licensee of the hotel discovered smoke coming from one of the upper level rooms.

When he opened the door he found a man asleep in the burning room.

He got the man outside, where he was treated for smoke inhalation before being taken to Royal Hobart hospital.

The fire, which was confined to one room of the hotel, is believed to have been started by a discarded cigarette

Alleged Arsonist Arrested For Gables Hotel Fire
Fire Broke Out Friday Afternoon
Several Victims Were Hurt, But No Fatalities

Coral Gables Police announced Monday that the fire that left dozens of residents displaced at the David William Hotel, was caused by an arsonist.

Rene Alexander Lengen, 51, was arrested and charged with one count of Arson Causing Bodily Harm, for the fire that caused an estimated $3.5 million of damage and injured 10 people. Police have not said what were Lengen's motives for setting the fire.

Residents of the condo-hotel in Coral Gables could be out of their apartments for weeks, after the fire caused extensive water damage, forcing officials to declare the building unsafe. The fire started on the 8th floor, and firefighters from Coral Gables and Miami-Dade County were forced to use large amounts of water to get the fire under control.

That water caused the majority of the damage, cascading down eight floors to a ground level restaurant, causing damage on each floor.

Even in parts of the building which were undamaged, residents had no utilities because of the overall water damage.

Lengen was a resident in the building.