A lit cigarette is the likely cause of an early morning fire today at the Chilkoot Trail Inn in Whitehorse, according to an RCMP news release.
The fire, which was contained to one hotel room, forced the evacuation of all 35 occupants in the building just before 2 a.m.
“Numerous residents of the inn were seen fleeing the building, with smoke building up inside the main floor lobby area,” according to the release.
Some people had to be physically removed by first responders because they were too drunk to leave the building unassisted.
The Whitehorse Fire Department was able to quickly extinguish the fire and ventilate the building.
“As many of the evacuated occupants were not dressed in appropriate clothing for the temperatures, assistance was sought from the Salvation Army, which was used as a temporary shelter,” the release stated.
The extent of the damage is still unknown and no injuries were reported.
A 42-year-old female and a 35-year-old male have been arrested in connection with the fire. Alcohol was a factor, according to police.