COMPANY.]
>> Ginger: RIGHT NOW ON NEWS 6
AT 5:00, WE'RE LEARNING MORE
ABOUT THE VICTIMS OF A FIRE IN
OSCEOLA COUNTY.
250 OF THEM, ALL DISPLACED.
SOME LEFT WITH NOTHING AFTER THE
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
I'M GINGER GADSDEN IN
>> Lisa: THANKS FOR BEING WITH
US.
I'M LISA BELL.
FIREFIGHTERS ARE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT SPARKED THE 3
ALARM FIRE.
HERE'S HOW THE HOTEL LOOKED JUST
MOMENTS AGO.
YOU CAN SE HOW MUCH DAMAGE
NEWS 6 NADEEN YANES HAS BEEN AT
THE SCENE IN KISSIMMEE ALL
AFTERNOON.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE NOW
HOMELESS, JUST DAYS BEFORE
CHRISTMA
>> Reporter: IT'S SO SAD.
THE LATEST NUMBERS WE HAD IS UP
TO 250 PEOPLE LOST THEIR HOM
TODAY.
MANY OF THESE PEOPLE LIVE HERE.
THIS IS AN EXTENDED STAY HOTEL.
THIS IS THEIR HOME.
YOU CAN SEE THEM COMING BACK TO
GONE.
THAT'S BECAUSE FIREFIGHTERS SAY
THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD GET TO
THE HOT SPOTS WAS TO TEAR THE
BUILDING DOWN.
BRIGHT ORANGE FLAMES FLICKERED
IN KISSIMMEE'S SKY FOR HOURS
THIS MORNING AS A THREE-ALARM
FIRE TOOK OVER THE UNO BOUTIQUE
HOTEL.
>> THERE'S AN L-SHAPED BUILDING.
THE BACKSIDE OF THE BUILDING WAS
RENOVATED, CONNECTING THE OLD
PROPERTY TO THE NEW ONE.
THAT'S WHERE THE FIRE STARTED.
>> Reporter: THE FLAMES USED THE
ATTIC TO ATTACK.
AS CREWS AND NEIGHBORS KNOCKED
ON DOORS TO GET THE 250 PEOPLE
OUT, THE FIRE KEPT SPREADING
THROUGH THE LAYERS IN THE ROOF
AND CREVICES IN THE WALLS.
IT WAS HARD FOR FIREFIGHTERS TO
PUT OUT.
LEAVING THEM WITH NO CHOICE
TODAY BUT TO TEAR PART OF THE
BUILDING DOWN.
>> WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE, IT'S HARD
TO FIND.
>> Reporter: THE DEPUTY CHIEF
HAS DONE THIS MORE THAN 40 YEARS
AND HE SAYS IT'S TOUGH TO SEE
FAMILY LEFT WITH NOTHING RIGHT
BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
>> I SEE PEOPLE WITH CHRISTMAS
THERE WAS A MOTORCYCLE BACK
THERE I TRIED TO PULL OUT FROM
UNDER THE STAIRS.
IT WAS CHAINED IN.
I COULDN'T DO IT.
SO IT WAS DESTROYED.
I SEE STUFF LIKE THAT AND GUYS
LOST EVERYTHING.
I CAN'T GO TO WORK TODAY, I'M
GOING TO LOSE MY JOB.
IT TEARS YOUR HEART OUT.
>> Reporter: THOUGH IT WAS A
HEARTBREAKING DAY FOR EVERYBODY
HERE, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT
NOBODY WAS HURT.
ALL 250 PEOPLE MADE IT OUT SAFE.
BUT THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS,
BEGIN WITH?
WERE THE FIRE ALARMS WORKING
THIS MORNING AND WAS THE
BUILDING UP TO CODE?
ALL QUESTIONS I WORK TO FIND
>> Lisa: NADEEN YANES REPORTING
THANK YOU.
OUR TEAM COVERAGE ON THIS
CONTINUES NOW WITH AMANDA CASTRO
WHO IS LIVE AT KISSIMMEE MIDDLE
SCHOOL WHERE THE RED CROSS JUST
OPENED A SHELTER FOR ALL THE
FAMILIES AFFECTED.
>> Reporter: THEY'RE ACTUALLY
SHUTTLING THEM IN BY THE BUS
LOAD HERE.
WE JUST SAW ONE BUS STOP BY AND
FAMILIES NOW.
THIS IS WHERE THE RED CROSS IS
GOING TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR
IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND HELP THEM
DO NEXT.
SEVERAL FAMILIES LEFT THEIR
ROOMS AND HOMES WITH JUST THE
CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK
BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
TREE.
IT WASN'T MUCH.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET OUR
SPIRITS UP FOR CHRISTMAS.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS HER
FAMILY'S HOLIDAY CHEER IS NOW UP
IN SMOKE AS SHE SITS ON THE
SIDEWALKS WATCHING FIREFIGHTERS
TRY TO SAVE THE HOTEL, HER YOUNG
HAPPENE.
>> THE MORE HE SEES THE FIRE AND
SMOKE, HE KEEPS MENTIONING OUR
CHRISTMAS TREE AND THE BACKPACK.
HE SAYS NOW I DON'T HAVE MY
>> Reporter: DOZENS OF FAMILIES
WOKE UP TO LOUD BANGING ON THE
OUT.
>> IT WAS CRAZY.
WE DIDN'T GRAB ANYTHING.
WE DIDN'T PUT ANYTHING ON.
MY KIDS SAT UP IN THE BED AND
LOOKING AROUND.
I TOLD THE TO GET UP AND GO.
>> Reporter: EVERYONE ESCAPED
THE FIRE WITH JUST T CLOTHES
ON THEIR BACK AND MINIMAL
BELONGINGS, MANY GRABBING THEIR
PETS AS THEY WATCHED THEIR HOME
AND EVERYTHING THEY OWNED BURN.
>> EVERYTHING WE HAD WAS IN
THERE.
THEY CAME OUT WITH NO SHOES ON.
WE HAD TO FIND SHOES TO PUT ON
OUR FEET.
>> Reporter: FAMILIES NUMB AND
IN SHOCK, UNSURE OF WHAT TO DO
AND WHERE TO GO.
>> KIND OF LOST NOW.
SO SEEING IT GO UP IN SMOKE
MAKES ME A LITTLE NAUSEOUS.
IT'S VERY HARD FOR US.
>> Reporter: WE'RE TOLD THERE
WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A CHRISTMAS
THE HOTEL.
THE MANAGER SAID THEY TRIED TO
SAVE ALL THE GIFTS THEY COULD TO
BRING THEM TO THE SHELTER SO
THERE WILL BE AT LEAST SOME
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT TONIGHT AS WELL
AS TWO LOCAL RESTAURANTS
FOR THESE FAMILIES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO
GET RESULTS FOR THESE FAMILIES.
WE'LL SHARE THOSE STORIES,
TO READ MORE ABOUT THE STORY,