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Chunks of debris fell to the ground outside the Blake Hotel on Friday evening as firefighters worked to remove damaged stucco from the exterior of the uptown building.
At least seven rooms were affected at the South McDowell Street hotel, which is expected to host delegates during next week's Democratic National Convention.
For days, at least one side of the hotel has been covered in a protective net as workers replaced stucco on the exterior. But on Friday, when fire officials went to the hotel for an unrelated inspection, they noticed that the wind had caught hold of the stucco along one corner of the hotel, said Charlotte Fire Department Deputy Chief Rob Kinniburgh.
Firefighters used the ladder of a firetruck to reach as far as the hotel's 10th floor. Kinniburgh said they were pulling the stucco loose and cutting to create a clean line that would allow contractors to continue with their repairs.
Below, firefighters sectioned off an area on the ground where the material they pulled from the building fell.
"We want to take care of this problem now," Kinniburgh said, noting the DNC's fast-approaching arrival.
It's unclear whether the repairs will be finished by the time the convention begins Tuesday. But Kinniburgh said the hotel is safe, although a few rooms may not be usable.
