Two people were hospitalized after an overnight fire at a hotel in south-central Houston, including one person who remains in critical condition.
The Houston Fire Department responded just after midnight Monday to the Deluxe Inn in the 2600 block of Truxillo Street near Live Oak Street.
Firefighters said the fire started in a first-floor hotel room. One person inside the room was able to escape before crews arrived but suffered major burns and smoke inhalation. That person was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.
A woman staying in the room directly above the fire was also hospitalized with smoke inhalation and burns. Fire officials said she is in stable condition and is expected to recover.
According to HFD, the hotel is an older-style building with only one entrance and exit for each room, creating challenges for firefighters during the response.
About 20 hotel units sustained smoke and fire damage. The American Red Cross is assisting guests displaced by the fire. Officials have not said how many people were staying at the hotel at the time.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.