Iconic Deauville Hotel Shut Down By Electrical Fire

MIAMI BEACH, FL — About 150 to 200 guests at the iconic Deauville Hotel on Miami Beach were evacuated to nearby hotels on Tuesday following an early morning electrical fire. The fire was contained to a mechanical room on the first floor but the oceanfront building lost power. The hotel may be shut down for weeks, according to first responders.

"We're evacuating the building little by little," Captain George Linares of the Miami Beach Fire Department told Patch on Tuesday morning. "They should be done by noon." (Sign up for our free Daily Newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Miami Beach Patch.)

The oceanfront hotel was designed in 1957 and named “Hotel of the Year” upon opening, according to the hotel officials. The property became a favorite Miami Beach haunt for Hollywood elites such as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Louis Armstrong and Tonny Bennet. "The most epic Deauville’s performance was broadcasted on the Ed Sullivan Show, when the Beatles performed for the first time in America from the Napoleon Ballroom on February 16th, 1964," according to the Deauville’s website.

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Linares said that the mechanical room houses the main power coming into the building from Florida Power & Light. It is located on the first floor but cannot be accessed directly from the hotel to prevent fires from spreading to guest areas.

Linares said that the fire was extinguished by the hotel's sprinkler system but not before causing damage to the electrical system. "It burned up all the cables there," he said.

The fire broke out at about 2:20 a.m. The Miami Beach Fire Department responded with about seven trucks but did not have to seek assistance from neighboring fire departments.

"It was very organized. Everybody came downstairs and waited by the pool deck or the lobby," Linares explained.

Guests were called floor by floor to return to their rooms to collect their belongings.

"There was no smoke or fire inside the building," Linares said.

The Red Cross was also on the scene to provide assistance to guests if needed.

Photo courtesy Miami Beach Fire Department