Fire triggers evacuations at Costa Mesa hotel

More than 500 guests evacuated or took cover while firefighters doused a two-alarm fire at the Costa Mesa Marriott hotel early Sunday.

Crews responded at about 12:45 a.m. to an alarm at the 11-story building at 500 Anton Blvd., according to the Costa Mesa Fire Department.

When firefighters found smoke on the fifth floor, they used thermal imaging devices to locate flames inside the walls of an elevator mechanical room. A faulty motor in the room had caught fire and burned the surrounding area, according to fire officials.

It took 27 firefighters about 45 minutes to find the fire, put it out and clear the smoke from the fifth floor, the department said.

Fire officials said 536 people were staying at the hotel at the time and that all of them were either evacuated or sheltered in place until the flames were out.

No one was hurt in the blaze, which caused about $1,000 in damage, according to the Fire Department.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck