A Waikiki hotel employee was sent to the hospital and two other people received medical treatment after a fire at the high-rise hotel yesterday morning.

The fire was reported at 5:52 a.m. in a room on the 14th floor of 2500 Kuhio Ave., Seelig said. The fire was reported under control at 6:04 a.m. and extinguished at 6:07 a.m.

A man in his 30s was taken to an Oahu hospital in serious condition apparently after suffering from smoke inhalation from the fire at the Hilton Waikiki Prince Hotel, said Bryan Cheplic, a city Department of Emergency Services spokesman.

The employee, a security guard, was taken to the hospital only as a precautionary measure, a spokeswoman for the hotel said.

Two other victims, a man and a woman, were treated at the scene after complaining of smoke inhalation but did not require hospitalization, Cheplic said.

Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig said a sprinkler system activated and kept the fire from spreading. By the time firefighters reached the scene, there were no flames although the room was smoldering, he said.

About 650 guests in the 601-room hotel were evacuated, a hotel spokeswoman said.

Fire investigators determined the fire was started accidentally when a hotel guest placed a piece of clothing on top of a lamp and did not realize the lamp had been turned on, Seelig said.

The fire caused about $15,000 damage to the room.

Firefighters from the Waikiki, McCully and Pawaa stations responded.