Fire briefly forces Chateau Laurier guests from rooms

Hundreds ofguestsat the Fairmount Chateau Laurier were forcedfrom their roomsfor abouthalf anhour Thursday night after a fire broke out in the ceiling of a sauna on the main floor.

Fire crews were called to 1 Rideau Street at about 11:40 p.m. and had the blaze under control quickly. No injuries were reported.

A masonry structure surrounding the sauna helped contain the fire,Ottawa Fire Services officials said, and damage was estimated at $12,000.

The hotel in the historic building at 91 per cent capacity at the time, and guests had to wait inthe lobbywhile the fire was contained.

Fire officials said a light fixture in the sauna may have been the cause of the fire.