A gorgeous hotel in Tennessee that was more than a century old has been totally destroyed by a dramatic fire. 

The Donoho Hotel in Red Boiling Springs, about 70 miles northeast of Nashville, was engulfed by the raging inferno on Tuesday morning. 

Fire departments from three towns in Macon County responded to calls around 7am by concerned witnesses who spotted smoke and flames coming from the building.

The crews reported ‘heavy fire conditions’ throughout the hotel. By 8am, the fire had spread to the top and bottom floors.

The entire structure was destroyed except for a small section of the main building’s left wing, which was still determined to be unusable and unsafe.

Despite emergency crews’ efforts, officials deemed the hotel a ‘total loss.’

Firefighters said everyone got out safely. A woman was trapped by the flames, but she was rescued without injury. 

The cause of the blaze is unclear, although the Red Boiling Springs Police Department said it is under investigation. 

In a public statement, Randall Bray, the Red Boiling Springs Fire Department Chief, said: ‘Our firefighters worked tirelessly under challenging conditions.

‘We are grateful for the assistance of neighboring departments and for the community’s support during this difficult time.’

The Donoho Hotel was largely constructed out of wood that burned very quickly, which made fighting the fire particularly challenging. 

The hotel was built in 1916, and it was one of just three remaining hotels from the Red Boiling Springs resort boom of the early 20th century. 

It was the only remaining hotel fitted with full-length, two-story verandahs that spanned the entire exterior of the building. 

In 1986, the hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. 

In a statement on Facebook, Red Boiling Springs Police Chief Jeffery Maynard said: ‘This is a devastating loss for our community. The Donoho Hotel has been a landmark in our city’s history, and we understand how deeply this impacts our residents and visitors.’

The mineral springs that gave Red Boiling Springs its name were thought to have healing powers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The area attracted tourists as early as the 1840s, and when transportation access there improved in the early 1900s, there was a boom in visitors which led to many hotels being built. 

The first version of the Donoho Hotel was built prior to 1916, but it also burned down before the structure that was destroyed on Tuesday was built. 

Renovations to the hotel’s interior and amenities have taken place over the 109 years since it was constructed, but the building’s exterior has largely remained the same. 

The City of Red Boiling Springs Facebook account made a post on Tuesday evening that said: ‘Our hearts are heavy as we confirm the loss of one of our city’s most cherished landmarks.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Red Boiling Springs Fire and Police Departments, as well as Donoho Hotel management for comment and additional details.