Short in electrical panel causes closing of hotel in Austintown

STAFF REPORT

AUSTINTOWN — An electrical fire has closed down a local hotel.

Austintown Fire Chief Andy Frost Jr. said Ohio Edison was called to shut down power at the Economy Inn on Clarkins Drive after an electrical panel shorted out just after 1:30 a.m. Dec. 25. Frost said as a result, the Go Go Girls Cabaret, which is connected to the hotel, was closed as well.

He said the Mahoning County building inspector was called to secure the building and power was not to be restored until a full inspection was completed. On Dec. 27, however, the fire department learned that the power had been restored to both the hotel and cabaret.

Frost said firefighters were sent back out, and upon entering the building could smell burning wiring.

He said the power at Economy Inn was turned off again, but power to the cabaret remains on.

“The cabaret was able to reopen after being closed for two or three days,” Frost said. “The hotel is shut down and sealed by my order.”

He said Central Electric Inspection of Youngstown will go through the hotel and make certain the wiring and electrical system in the building is safe before Frost can give Ohio Edison the go-ahead to re-establish power.

Frost said he’s not sure when the inspection will be completed.

No one answered a call to the hotel Friday afternoon.

He said a fire in the hotel in June could be the reason the structure is having electrical problems now.

The first fire was in the lounge areas, “and it did a lot of electrical damage,” Frost said. “It had panel boxes burning. ... We don’t know if this was a result of that first fire or not, though.”