A small electrical fire Saturday morning at Watertown Budget Inn, 19226 Route 11, prompted the evacuation of several people staying in the building.

According to Joseph D. Plummer, Jefferson County director of fire and emergency management, the fire started around 11:30 a.m. Saturday after a minor electrical failure.

Town of Watertown Fire Department crews were sent to the scene, but Mr. Plummer said the fire was mostly extinguished before they arrived. He said the damage, centered on the building’s exterior near the initial electric failure, was minor.

He said the American Red Cross and the motel’s owners were looking to find places for displaced residents. While Mr. Plummer did not have a specific count of the number of displaced residents, he said the motel had 16 units.

A call to a number listed for the hotel Sunday afternoon was not answered.

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