Texas Police Warn Against Flying Drones Over Fire Scene: 'We’re Going to Take Them Down'
What to Know
- Laredo police are warning the public not to fly drones near the DoubleTree Hotel fire scene, saying officers will take action against drones operating in the area.
- The 14-story hotel has been deemed structurally unsafe following a three-alarm fire, with concerns about damage and a possible collapse.
- Officials are using their own drones to assess the building's structural integrity while firefighters, engineers and police continue working at the scene.
“It’s still a very active fire department scene, and there is still very active policing,” he said.
The warning comes as crews continue responding to the three-alarm fire, which was reported at about 12:52 a.m. Wednesday at the DoubleTree Hotel.
The 14-story hotel has been determined to be structurally unsafe, with concerns about structural damage and a possible collapse. Officials are using drone technology to help assess the building before additional personnel enter areas that could potentially be unsafe.
Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino, who declared a local state of disaster following the fire, said drone technology was essential in assessing and investigating the situation.
“Out of an abundance of caution, a drone is being used to help assess the structural integrity of the hotel before additional personnel enter areas that could potentially be unsafe,” Trevino said.
Officials continue to ask the public to avoid the area while emergency crews work at the scene. They will continue providing verified information as it becomes available.
“We’re not finished with this,” Rodriguez said. “It’s going to take a while. So please be patient.”
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