Dryer fire sparks at Niles hotel; employee hailed a hero

NILES, Mich. – One woman's quick thinking may have saved the lives of dozens of guests at a Holiday Inn Express in Niles.

The fire sparked around 11 p.m. Tuesday on Moore Drive.

According to firefighters it sparked twice in the same dryer. They said a woman who works at the hotel put it out with an extinguisher and then closed the door, but when she opened the door back up it reignited.

People were evacuated from the building while firefighters made sure the fire stayed out.

They were able to get things under control and said if it weren't for that woman, the fire could have been a lot worse.

No one was hurt and there's no word yet on what caused the load of towels to catch fire.