State fire marshal investigates McAlester motel fire

The fire at the Budget Inn on State Highway 69 was reported at 12:37 a.m. and there were no injuries, Brewer said. He said firefighters worked on the fire for more than four hours.

Andy Patel, owner of the motel sat in his car Thursday morning looking at the burned out building that he said he and his family lived in.

He said he learned that his building was on fire from a phone call.

“My friend called me as he was passing by and said he saw the fire,” Patel said. “That's how I found out about it.”

‘Its very upsetting,“ Patel said as he looked at remains of the burned out building.

Iowa resident Daryl Thompson, 56, said he was staying at the motel the night of the fire.

”The owners were screaming and beating on the doors telling us to get out“ Thompson said.

He said after he was out of the building he heard three loud explosions around the area of the lobby.

Thompson said smoke was the first thing he saw.