Crews were called to the Union Station Hotel in downtown Nashville after a fire was intentionally set outside the building.
Officials on the scene said they believe a suspect lit a PVC pipe and then used it to set the wall of the hotel on fire from the outside.
The blaze broke out in an area where construction is ongoing by the railroad tracks. From there, the small fire spread to the walls – causing the fire alarms to sound inside the hotel.
Investigators initially said a homeless person may have set the blaze to try and stay warm during the cold temperatures.
However, they now believe someone intentionally tried to set the hotel on fire.
Crews were able to extinguish the blaze quickly. Hotel customers were evacuated to the lobby of the building.
A district fire chief said a couple residents reported seeing smoke in their rooms.
Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 615-74-CRIME.
