Halifax hotel evacuated due to dryer fire at nearby gym

A fire that started in a clothes dryer in a GoodLifeFitness gymforced a downtown Halifax hotel to evacuate Saturday evening after heavy smoke filled the building.

Guests were moved from the Barrington Hotel, formerly a Delta, to the food court of the Scotia Square mall, according to Halifax Fire and Emergency.

The fire department was called at 9:15 p.m. and discovered a small fire on the lower level of the gym, which is attached to the hotel.

No one was injured in the fire and firefighters had it extinguishedby 10 p.m.

"We got the fire knocked down very quickly. The big problem we had was moving the smoke," saidacting district chief Dennis Pitts.

"There was ventilation in GoodLife but it wasn't good enough for moving a large volume of smoke. And with the real heavy north winds last night, we were having problems pushing it out of the building."

Pitts wasn't sure how many guests were affected. He said police officers and hotel staff helped alert guests and ensured they left their rooms.

He said Halifax Transit comfort buses were on their way but it was determined they weren't needed.

Halifax Regional Police said the hotel was cleared to reopenat 11:22 p.m.

Asection of Barrington Street between Cogswell Street and Duke Street was closed for about an hour.

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