Austin, Texas – A massive two-alarm fire tore through the vacant Rodeway Inn late on October 5, 2025, at the 2900 block of North Interstate 35, near the University of Texas campus and opposite St. David’s Medical Center.

Video filmed by user @slicksiaraa shows the multi-storey motel fully alight, with flames pouring from windows and doors and thick black smoke billowing. An adjacent vacant restaurant was also significantly damaged.

Firefighters from the Austin Fire Department brought the blaze under control within a few hours. Officials reported no injuries and said nearby structures, including the hospital, were not threatened.

The motel had been empty since at least 2023. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

Road closures in the area are expected to remain into Monday.

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