(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Fire Department and Cass EMS personnel, were called to the America’s Best Value Inn across from Walmart, in Atlantic, Sunday afternoon, for a report of smoke and a possible fire. The call came in at around 3:49-p.m., after hotel management found smoke on the second floor of the hotel as fire alarms were going-off. Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel…

Chief Cappel said once they gained entry into the room, the visibility was so poor, they conducted an “interior attack” on the fire, and searched for any possible victims.

He said there was heavy smoke on both floors of the two-story structure on the west side of the hotel. Cappel said the fire originally started upstairs, with the smoke pouring into the hallway and first floor.

Firefighters did pull two mattresses that were on fire from the hotel room, along some other items. Once the building is ventilated and checked for hot spots, the State Fire Marshal will be called to lend extra investigative expertise to try and determine how the fire started. Cass EMS, Atlantic Rescue, Atlantic Police, and the Cass County Drone team assisted at the scene. No injuries were reported. Crews worked the fire and clean-up in 91 degree heat.