1 Dead After Fire In Philly Hotel Room

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia fire officials are investigating what caused a fatal fire in a room at the Omni Hotel in Old City, Saturday.

Hotel manager A. J. Williams says the Omni's fire system detected smoke on the eighth floor and alerted the fire department before hotel staff was even aware of it. Fire fighters found the source of the smoke in a room on the eighth floor and Williams says the guest was already dead inside.

"Our hearts go out to the individual. It's obviously a big tragedy and we're very sorry that it had to happen."

Williams says it took fire fighters just about ten minutes to control the fire and damage was confined to the room but as a precaution, the entire 14-story hotel was evacuated.

"The bourse next door was kind enough to accommodate a large number of our guests. They hung out in the food court until I went over and briefed and we brought them back floor by floor."

Fire officials say they have not yet identified the cause or whether the victim died in the fire or of some other cause.

Reported By: Pat Loeb, KYW Newsradio