A faulty ballast in a ceiling light tripped a fire alarm at the Hotel Pattee in Perry about 4:30 a.m. Monday, bringing a quick response from the Perry Police Department and Perry Volunteer Fire Department.
“There were no injuries and no damage,” said Perry Volunteer Fire Department Chief Chris Hinds. “It’s just a matter of replacing the ballast and away you go.”
A smokey haze was detected in the hotel’s Nicolette Room, a downstairs conference room, according to night clerk Brian Parker of Perry. Parker said the alarm triggered the police and fire response, and he called the hotel’s building engineer, Clint Nelson.
“Clint knows this building inside and out,” Parker said, “and he’s also on the fire department, so that helps, too.”
The firefighters brought a thermal imaging camera and quickly isolated the source of the heat and light smoke.
“We try to catch these things before the alarms go off throughout the building,” Parker said, “because that naturally alarms the guests.”
