ESCANABA, MI – A historic hotel in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula may be a total loss, WLUC reports .

Built in 1864, House of Ludington, 223 Ludington St. in Escanaba, went up in flames and smoke on Friday, Dec. 5.

The building appears to be a total loss, manager Tyler Dubord told the TV station. He called it “heartbreaking” and a “disaster,” adding that a ceiling collapsed, stairways are inaccessible, plus there’s flooding and major structural damage.

Dubord told WLUC that he first noticed the smell of burning wood early Friday but couldn’t locate it. Around 10:30 a.m., he called Escanaba Public Safety, and they found smoke in a storage room on the third floor near the elevator. The building was then evacuated; no injuries were reported.

Flames became visible after ceiling materials i

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