CINCINNATI — A hotel in Oakley caught fire briefly Sunday evening after it was hit by lightning during storms that rolled through the region, the Cincinnati Fire Department said.
The hotel on Factory Colony Lane, near the Oakley Cinemark, caught fire after lightning hit the building. No one was hurt and the hotel was allowed to remain open after firefighters put out the fire.
Fire crews were dispatched to the five-story hotel at around 4:08 p.m. Sunday evening.
Capt Eric Enginger of Rescue 9 works to expose hidden fire on the roof of a hotel in Oakley this afternoon. The fire’s cause is under investigation. No injuries were reported. pic.twitter.com/6kDizgSZHG
— Cincy Fire & EMS (@CincyFireEMS) July 20, 2025
"First arriving companies confirmed a working fire on the west side of the building and made their way up to the roof via aerial ladder and the hotel's interior stairs," reads a release from CFD.
Once crews got to the hotel's roof, they were able to quickly knock the fire down — but it took longer to determine whether the fire was completely out because multiple layers of decking material had to be removed and inspected, along with part of the building's parapet wall.
"Thanks to the herculean efforts of all crews, the fire was kept from entering the building's interior," CFD officials wrote.
Hotel management and maintenance staff helped account for all patrons and staff in the building; electric was shut off to the rooftop while firefighters worked to put out the fire.
The hotel sustained roughly $100,000 worth of damage, CFD estimated.
Once the investigation into the fire revealed it was caused by lightning, the hotel was able to remain open and operable once the fire was out, CFD said.
