Oceanside CA— Shortly before 5:00 this morning, January 7, 2015, Oceanside Fire and Police Departments responded to reports of a fire at the historic Dolphin Hotel located 133 South Coast Highway in downtown Oceanside.

“I heard a lot of noise then banging on my door with people yelling that there was a fire.” said Alan Fredrick. Alan was watching the firefighters work while he was standing, barefoot, across the street from the hotel with the clothes he was able to put on as he left his room, at the hotel, . “There was a lot of smoke and a lot of commotion and I just got out.” continued Alan, “I heard someone left an iron on when they went to sleep and the clothes caught fire.”

Oceanside Fire Battalion Chief Terry Collis said that was one of the theories being investigated as the cause of the fire at the Dolphin Hotel. Collis said when firefighters arrived, people were already being evacuated by the Oceanside Police Department.
“Firefighters went up to the second floor and found the fire burning there.” continued Collis “The person from that room was being helped out by some of the other residents of the hotel. The firefighters were able to put the fire out and contain it to that room.”
Collis said two people were transported to the hospital. One with moderate burns to hands and feet was flown to UCSD Burn Center by Reach Air ambulance. The other one was treated and released at the scene.
Residents at the hotel attempted to put out the fire with extinguisher from the historic hotel but were unsuccessful. The chief said it was reported one resident attempted to escape the fire from a second floor window but was helped back in by residents and evacuated through the front door of the hotel.
Fire crews extended hose lines to the second floor for search, rescue and fire control. After vertical ventilation was performed on the roof (large hole cut into the roof to let smoke and heat out of the building) the fire crews were able to complete the search of the second floor rooms to make sure all residents have evacuated.
The fire was declared under control at 5:25am. “We were able to contain the fire to the room of origin but there was a lot of smoke and water damage to the structure” Collis said no one will be allowed back in and the Red Cross was on the way to help the approximately 15 residents displace by the two alarm fire.
Firefighters from Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista and Camp Pendleton responded to the fire that shut down Coast Highway for about 2 hours.

Photos: Chad Cox and Steve Marcotte

Click on any image to enlarge photo and start gallery