Photos by John Ferrara.

Hotel Arcata was completely evacuated around 8:30 a.m. today after a small fire ignited in the sushi restaurant below, casing dangerous amounts of smoke to billow into guest’s rooms.

Arcata Fire Chief Justin McDonald told the Outpost on scene that the fire is believed to have started in the dining room area of Tomo Japanese Restaurant near the fish tank.

“The fire brought unhealthy amounts of smoke into guest’s rooms,” McDonald said. “The carbon monoxide level is still okay for a short go-in.”

Guests were able to scurry upstairs a few at a time to grab their luggage after the fire was knocked down, but hotel guest Robert Burke said he believed his stay was probably over.

“There was quite a bit of smoke coming out of the restaurant; coming downstairs we could smell smoke,” Burke told the Outpost. “They said there’s a lot of carbon monoxide right now so I’m not real optimistic.”

Because the fire was located less than half-a-block away from the nearest fire station, Chief McDonald said crews made quick work of the flames.

“The building was pretty heavily charged with smoke,” McDonald said. “Once crews got in, it was a pretty quick knock down. The biggest thing was to keep the smoke from coming out of the restaurant and going upstairs.”

While the fire damage is believed to be minimal, Chief McDonald said the smoke damage costs could be extensive.

“Because of that black, acrid smoke, the damage from the fire could be quite a bit,” he said outside the restaurant.

One block of G Street was briefly shut down as firefighters cleaned up in the area.

No injuries were reported from the fire. However, the owner of Tomo told McDonald that there was a crack in the fish tank and that the saltwater fish likely won’t make it.

Photos of smoke coming form the restaurant by Outpost reader Daniel Pisano.