At least ten fire trucks blocked off two blocks of Bourbon Street late Sunday morning as New Orleans firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze inside the Royal Sonesta hotel.

The fire, reported around 11:15 a.m., forced guests out of the iconic French Quarter landmark and drew crowds of tourists to watch as crews stretched hoses along the busy sidewalk. Fire officials had the blaze under control within about 30 minutes.

Taxi driver Vlado Madaric was stopped just outside the hotel when fire trucks blocked the street, trapping his van inside the police tape. From the sidewalk, he watched firefighters extend a ladder to a second-floor balcony and help two people down, both of whom appeared uninjured.

Bobbi Adkins, a hotel guest visiting from Texas, said she was on the fifth floor when she w

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