Westerly — Staff at the Ocean House in Watch Hill helped extinguish a small fire this morning that caused a brief evacuation of the seaside resort and hotel.

The Watch Hill Fire Department responded to the resort at 2 Bluff Ave. at about 8:30 a.m., responding to a 911 call reporting heavy smoke in room 2-7, said Watch Hill Fire Department Chief Robert Peacock. As a precaution mutual aid was provided by the Misquamicut and Westerly fire departments.

Peacock said several employees were working to confine and extinguish the fire in a built-in planter with fire extinguishers when firefighters arrived.

The planter is on a private deck attached to a lower level suite. All of the guests were allowed back into the hotel shortly before 9 a.m. after the smoke had been cleared from the room, hall and surrounding areas, Peacock said.

No injuries were reported and Ocean House spokeswoman Michelle Wade said the incident was over within minutes with little drama. The damage was confined to the deck area. 

Chief Peacock credited the Ocean House employees and the Ocean House emergency response team for using their training to effectively confine and hold the fire until firefighters arrived.

The cause of the fire is under investigation but it is believed to be accidental.