A massive fire caused extensive damage to the historic Holly Hotel in the village of Holly in Oakland County, Michigan, setting ablaze parts of a venue that hosted several prominent people, including a US president, over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The fire, which affected several buildings in Broad Street in downtown Holly, began at around 4pm local time and is believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit at Battle Alley Arcade Antiques.

The blaze quickly spread to several buildings and according to Holly Police Chief Jerry Narsh, it was already “at least” a six-alarm fire by 4.03pm. For those unaware, according to the multiple-alarm fire classification system used by the US and Canada, the higher the number of alarms, the more severe a fire is.

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Fire departments from all over the county, including, from Troy, Oxford, and Brandon, and Groveland townships responded to the blaze but were unable to contain it before it caused significant damage.

The true extent of the damage will become evident in the next 72 hours after an assessment is carried out, Village Manager Jerry Walker told the press. No deaths or injuries had been reported at the time of writing this.

The Holly Hotel, previously known as the Hirst Hotel, has a rich history that dates back to the late 1800s. It had suffered major damage in a 1912 fire which destroyed the second and third floors, but the building was rebuilt.

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Built by John Hirst in 1891 and located at 110 Battle Alley in Holly, Michigan, the hotel was intended to cater to the many railroad passengers but quickly became a major social hub, mainly due to it having the largest and finest dining room in the area.

Temperance crusader Carrie Nation and Michigan Governors Thomas E Dewey and G Mennen Williams are among some of the prominent guests to have been to the hotel, which claims to have hosted every state governor since 1979. 

Former US President George H. W. Bush also dined at the famous restaurant during his campaign in 1992.