Fire causes heavy damage to room at old Hotel Bollero in Palatine

An early-morning fire Thursday caused extensive damage to a room in a vacant Palatine hotel undergoing renovations, authorities said.

Firefighters were called at 5:16 a.m. to an activated fire alarm at the former Hotel Bollero, 920 E. Northwest Highway.

About six minutes later, the first arriving crews found thick, black smoke coming from the first-floor hallway of the five-story hotel, the Palatine Fire Department said in a news release.

Firefighters "aggressively attacked the fire" from the interior using a hose line. By 5:49 a.m., the blaze was under control, but firefighters continued to ventilate smoke and fire gases and see what could be salvaged.

There were no injuries to the 26 firefighters at the scene or to civilians, according the news release. The hotel was not occupied at the time of the fire.

A damage estimate was not available, and investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.