Investigators say a two-alarm fire at a New Orleans East hotel is the work of an arsonist.
Firefighters were called to the Sunrise Inn & Suites just before midnight Tuesday night. Twenty-five guests were staying in the two-story hotel when the fire started.
According to NOFD investigators, part of the hotel, a tree outside of it, and a large dumpster behind the facility were on fire when firefighters arrived on scene. Those firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading. Firefighters later discovered a smaller fire several feet away from the building, which they extinguised quickly.
The part of the hotel in which the larger fire broke out was vacant and undergoing renovations.
According to investigators, surveillance video shows a woman setting fire to the tree in front of the hotel. The video also shows the woman walking to the rear of the building where the larger fire was set. Authorities are trying to identify and find this woman.
