100 People Rescued From Hotel In Manatee County: Watch

SARASOTA, FL — Deputies rescued about 100 people from the Ramada Inn at 7150 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota on Thursday night as Hurricane Helene approached Florida, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. (Watch a video from the rescue below.)

Deputies were called to assist the hotel guests after water from nearby Sarasota Bay began flooding rooms on the ground floor.

Multiple deputies waded through rising water to evacuate the guests, which included several elderly people in wheelchairs, the sheriff’s office said.

Fire and smoke were also reported in some hotel rooms, along with electrical hazards. After about an hour and a half, firefighters and electric line crews helped deputies with getting all occupants out of the buildings.

Buses organized by the Manatee County Emergency Operations Center brought rescued guests to other hotels; about 20 people were brought to a storm shelter at Lee Middle School, the sheriff’s office said.

Once the water receded, deputies went back to the hotel to ensure no one else was still there. They also locked up the rooms for those who had left personal belongings behind.

Watch a video of the rescue from the Ramada Inn below: