One Dead, Three Hospitalized After Early Morning Cottage Grove Motel Fire

Patrol officers on routine rounds spotted flames and smoke rising from the Relax Inn at 1030 N. Highway 99 in Cottage Grove just after 2:30 a.m. on April 2, setting off evacuations that cleared several rooms before South Lane Fire and Rescue arrived to suppress the blaze. One person was found dead inside a motel room; at least three others were transported to area hospitals.

Cottage Grove Police Department officers drove the initial tenant evacuation while fire crews responded. South Lane Fire and Rescue personnel then conducted suppression operations and provided medical aid to those injured on scene. The identities of both the deceased and the hospitalized were withheld, with authorities citing the need to complete next-of-kin notifications first.

The Relax Inn is a roadside motel along Highway 99 that serves travelers and people experiencing housing instability, a population that can face compounded risk in older motel properties where fire egress options are more limited. First responders credited the patrol officers' alertness with enabling the rapid evacuation of multiple rooms, a point Cottage Grove Police emphasized in their public statement on the incident.

Investigators from the police department and South Lane Fire and Rescue are examining the origin and cause of the blaze. No cause had been determined and no indication of criminal activity had been offered in the days following the fire. Officials have used the incident to remind motel operators and guests to verify working smoke detectors and review evacuation protocols. Anyone with information, tips, or relevant video footage is asked to contact the Cottage Grove Police Department at 541-942-9145.