Guests at an Omaha hotel got an early wake up call Thursday morning. The fire alarms went off at the America's Best Value Inn near 72nd and Grover just before 5:00.
Battalion Chief Keith Main says dozens of guests had evacuated when they arrived, but there were several others on the fourth floor with their heads out the window calling for help. "Then we had to calm them down and say you're good, it's in the hallway, we'll get to you."
Main says the door to the hotel room where the fire started was left open. That allowed smoke to make its way down the hallway and under the doors of other guests staying on the fourth floor.
He says there was heavy smoke damage on the fourth floor and water from the firefight made it's way down into the lobby. Investigators say a carelessly discarded cigarette sparked the fire, which caused about $400,000 in damages.