One injured, three displaced after fire at College Area hotel

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – One person suffered burn injuries and three others were displaced when a fire broke out Tuesday at a College Area hotel and caused an estimated $100,000 in damage, authorities said.

The blaze was reported shortly after 4:15 a.m. at the Howard Johnson Inn, 6440 El Cajon Blvd., according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

Firefighters responded to the scene and found flames coming from the back of the building, the agency reported. They knocked down the flames within 20 minutes, but the blaze caused heavy damage to one room and smoke damage to at least two other rooms.

One person was taken to the UC San Diego Medical Center burn unit for treatment, the department reported. The extent of the victim’s injuries was not immediately available.

Three adults were displaced, but were able to find their own places to stay. The blaze caused an estimated $90,000 in damage to the structure and an estimated $10,000 in damage to its contents.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.