Elevator Portal Fire At Pechanga Prompts Large Emergency Response

UPDATE 3:45 P.M.: Pechanga Resort Casino officials say they are currently working to get hotel guests back into their rooms following Monday's fire in an elevator shaft.

"Staff is working floor by floor, starting with guests staying in the 4th floor of the Pechanga Casino Tower," the resort said in a statement emailed to Patch. "We realize it was a big inconvenience for them and thank them for their patience. Our teams and first responders worked to ensure everyone’s safety first and foremost."

UPDATE 2 P.M.: A fire that erupted Monday inside an elevator shaft at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula left two people injured and prompted an evacuation of the sprawling hotel complex until it was fully contained nearly two hours later, officials report.

Pechanga spokeswoman Ciara Green told City News Service that the flames were confined to an elevator portal "in the original tower," which underwent a major expansion two years ago.

One person suffered an unspecified burn injury and another suffered smoke inhalation. The burn victim was taken to Temecula Valley Hospital in stable condition, according to reports from the scene.

"Out of an abundance of caution, team members and guests in the hotel tower were evacuated," Green said. "The incident was not near the casino."

The fire was declared 100 percent contained about 1 p.m

There was no word on what triggered the blaze. A county fire battalion chief at the scene requested assistance from an arson investigator, but it was unclear whether that was in adherence to protocol, or because something suspicious was found where the blaze started.

UPDATE 1 P.M.: Pechanga officials have just released the following statement regarding the incident:

At approximately 11:30 a.m., a fire broke out in a hotel elevator portal in the original tower of the Pechanga Resort Casino. The Pechanga Fire Department immediately responded and knocked the fire down. Out of an abundance of caution, Team Members and guests in the hotel tower were evacuated. The incident was not near the casino.

Firefighters and other first responders remain on-scene. We will provide more information as soon as it becomes.

ORIGINAL STORY BELOW:

TEMECULA, CA — A large emergency response has been sent to Pechanga Resort Casino on Monday afternoon and a hotel tower is being evacuated, Patch has learned from reports at the scene.

Details are extremely limited at this time, but the Riverside County Fire Department confirms they are at the scene assisting Pechanga's own fire department. Fire logs indicate they were dispatched to the scene at 11:12 a.m.

Radio traffic indicates the incident has prompted a four-alarm fire response. Mutual aid has been assisted from Hemet, Corona, Morongo Fire, Soboba Fire, Murrieta and more.

As of 12:20 p.m., Patch spotted at least 17 fire engines at the resort. Witnesses at the scene said one of the hotel towers, tower 1, was being evacuated. Tower 2, the lobby and the casino appeared unaffected.

More information is expected shortly from Pechanga representatives. We'll update this breaking news story as we learn more.

— City News Service contributed to this report.