Wagon Wheel Inn Fire Still Under Investigation
LENOX, Mass. — The Friday morning fire that gutted the Wagon Wheel Inn is still under investigation, and several people who were living at the motel have moved to another one.
The Fire Department received a report of the blaze around 6:15 a.m. on Friday, and it took hours to bring it under control, with numerous county fire companies responding. The Route 7 highway between Holmes Road and the Lenox shopping plaza was also closed, and traffic was rerouted.
On Wednesday, Fire Chief Robert Casucci said no cause has been determined at this time, and investigators from the State Fire Marshal's Office and the property's insurance company are still working on it.
From the street, the decades-old inn is missing much of its roof, and the structure is thoroughly charred. It is secured by a chain link fence.
"The loss amount to the Wagon Wheel hasn't been determined as of yet; I would not be surprised to find that it is deemed a total loss," Casucci responded to an email inquiry from iBerkshires.
"There was no damage to any other surrounding properties."
Several residents warming up at Market 32 on the day of the fire said they were long-term tenants of the motel and had lost everything. Thirteen people were believed to be staying at the motel, and a person named Ed reportedly knocked on doors to wake everyone so they could evacuate.
Casucci reported that some residents accepted assistance from the Red Cross and relocated to the Howard Johnson by Wyndham hotel down the street. The town of Lenox made provisions for two nights at the Howard Johnson for all occupants of the Wagon Wheel, but some residents chose to make other arrangements, he said.
A GoFundMe page has raised more than $1,000 for Edward Lawrence, the man who was living at the motel when the fire broke out and notified fellow inhabitants of the impending danger.
"The building and all his belongings were destroyed in the fire. What you may not know is that Ed was the one who woke up all the residents and got them out safely," the GoFundMe reads.
"He had a motel room the first night after the fire, but nothing set up afterwards."
An occupant of the motel said they thought the fire started in the laundry room and that no alarm went off until after everyone was out. There were no injuries reported at the scene.
Casucci confirmed that the fire alarm was not sounding when firefighters arrived, and that witnesses reported not hearing an alarm. It is currently unknown if the lack of alarms is because of a malfunction caused by the fire or if the system was not functioning prior to the fire, he reported.
The property was inspected by the town's fire and building departments in June 2025, and no deficiencies were noted.
On Friday, Mazzeo's Italian Market and Deli and Berkshire Mazda closed to the public because of proximity to the fire but opened for firefighters and motel residents to warm
According to GIS information, the motel is owned by Rath Hospitality LLC, and the total taxable value is about $733,000. It opened in 1953.
Tags: motels, hotels, structure fire,
