Martinsville Hotel Fire UPDATE 2: A massive fire gutted a portion of the Dutch Inn hotel in Collinsville, VA (near Martinsville) late Monday. Flames engulfed the portion of the building adjacent to an automotive parts store and the Dutch Inn Plaza shopping center. Thick smoke rose into the sky from flames that shot from the top of the structure. Firefighters were still battling hot spots in the hotel’s windmill tower early this morning. A portion of the building’s roof caved in about 12:20 a.m. as firefighters extinguished the blaze. A firefighter atop a ladder truck sprayed water onto the fire from high above it(Martinsville Bulletin). So with the Martinsville races coming up in a little over two weeks, folks who were planning on staying there may wish to check out the situation in a few days when things calm down at the hotel(3-20-2001) UPDATE: Except for the two suites in the tower, none of the guest rooms was damaged, so the hotel will be able to accommodate almost everyone booked there for the April 8 race at the Martinsville Speedway. Electricity and cable television were restored Tuesday. The hotel should reopen next week(Roanoke Times) UPDATE 2: The good news is all of the rooms are inhabitable and will be ready for the Virginia 500 weekend. The bad news is all of the paperwork concerning room reservations for the Virginia 500 were burned. Martinsville Speedway is trying to help the management of the Dutch Inn get in contact with anyone who might have had reservations for that weekend so the paperwook can be recreated. If you have made reservations with the Dutch Inn for the Virginia 500, and have not already spoken with Amanda at the Dutch Inn, please fax her a copy of your contract or any other paper work. Her fax number is (540) 647-4119. The folks at the Dutch Inn have assured Martinsville Speedway they will honor all reservations for race week(Martinsville Speedway PR)(3-21-2001)
