UPDATED: Days Inn fire ruled accidental

We now know what caused the major fire at the Days Inn in Roanoke earlier this week.

Investigators have ruled the fire accidental.  It was caused when a worker left a drop light in a concealed space between the walls.

The hotel was undergoing renovations when the fire broke out Monday.  The fire department estimates the fire caused nearly two million dollars worth of damage.

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Investigators believe it started on the second or third floors.  They've narrowed the start of the fire to six rooms.  Those rooms have the most damage.  Fire Chief says the fire proved very difficult to put out because the fire was mainly in the walls.  Tuesday, investigators have literally had to use shovels to dig into the walls and remove debris.  They are also having to remove carpeting and furniture.  

The fire department plans to call in the regional arson team, possibly Wednesday.  The fire chief doesn't believe the fire is suspicious.  The department just wants to bring in another set of eyes.  This is typical for fires that have such a large dollar amount.  It could be Thursday before we know a cause.

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Fire investigators are back out Tuesday at the Days Inn on Orange Avenue in Roanoke.  

Six fire investigators are on scene trying to determine a cause.  But we're told it could take several days to do so because investigators are having to go from room to room collecting information. 

Monday's fire started around 2:30 p.m. and took several hours to put out.  Preliminary reports show the fire started on the second floor. 

Preliminary damage estimates are at $1.5 million for the building and $250,000 for the content inside the rooms. 

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Renovations were nearly complete. The hotel was scheduled to open in the morning.

That is, until a major fire Monday afternoon at the Days Inn ripped through the building.

More than 100 rooms were completed, ready to open in the morning.

Instead, it's just investigators who will be touring the rooms Tuesday, trying to determine what, exactly, started this fire.

"Everybody was working so hard for the last two months trying to open this place and get it ready," says Days Inn owner Ssunny Shah.

Now, all Shah can do is watch as firefighters rip through the newly renovated rooms of his hotel looking for any remaining signs of fire.

"Now everything is messed up," he says.

Shah bought the Days Inn last November. 

He was planning to open about half of the hotel's room Tuesday morning.

Until, Monday afternoon, construction crews working on the third floor came running downstairs, yelling fire.

"That's why I ran there, and it was very smokey, very dark, couldn't even walk on the walkway," says Shah.