State and local agencies temporarily shut down the London Lodge Motel on Airline Highway in Hollygrove Thursday, according to the Louisiana Fire Marshal's office.?
The fire marshal's office, along with the City of New Orleans, filed a cease-and-desist order against the motel, located in the 9300 block of Airline Highway, giving its owners 72 hours to move out long-term residents and fix electrical issues, the state agency said.
If motel owners don't comply and operate the motel as the short-term rental property the fire marshal's office has categorized it as, they must instead submit a plan to change its occupancy time limits for review or face permanent shut down, the fire marshal's office said.?
The motel is known to be a hub for prostitution and drug activity. In June of 2023, a man was shot dead in one of its rooms.?
During a inspection of the property on Thursday, the agency found evidence of "long-term apartment-type occupancies," which included residents having permission to cook on the premises, according to a fire marshal's office spokesperson. Unsafe electrical wiring was also found, including a wide-open electrical panel that posed a major safety risk, the spokesperson said.?
The fire marshal's office said it is working with Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration's office of safety and permits, as well as the city's health department, to provide resources to those who could lose housing due to the shutdown.
The city referred all questions to the fire marshal's office Friday evening.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for more details.
