Erin Napier Fights Back Tears as She Watches 'Heartbreaking' Fire Rip Through Hotel She Just Finished
Erin Napier Fights Back Tears as She Watches 'Heartbreaking' Fire Rip Through Hotel She Just Finished
Natalia SenanayakeMon, June 1, 2026 at 7:12 PM UTC
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Erin Napier's shocked reaction as the fire burns through The Heirloom hotel
Credit: HBO Max
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The Heirloom Hotel suffered a devastating fire shortly after filming wrapped for Erin and Ben Napier's HGTV series Home Town: Inn This Together
The hotel, a major project for Laurel, Miss., was transformed from a vacant 1930s department store into a boutique landmark
Erin and Ben recently revealed the insurance claim remains unresolved nearly a year after the fire
Last night's episode of Home Town: Inn This Together pulled back the curtain on the devastating fire that unexpectedly tore through the Heirloom hotel last summer.
In the final episode of the four-part HGTV series, which aired on Sunday, May 31, Erin and Ben Napier walk through the emotional aftermath of the fire that occurred in August 2025 and what it meant for the hotel they spent two years restoring in their hometown of Laurel, Miss.
The episode begins with the Napiers and their team dealing with a flooding fiasco after heavy rain from the night before led to a water leak that damaged four rooms. After the destruction is repaired and the final touches on the hotel are eventually complete, Erin, Ben and their team unveil their masterpiece to a group of influential leaders in their hometown, including the mayor of Laurel.
As the transformed spaces are revealed and the scene comes to a celebratory end, the mood suddenly shifts as a black screen with white text appears: “Shortly after filming wrapped, disaster struck,” the message reads.
Smoke billowing from The Heirloom hotel
Credit: HBO Max
The episode cuts to clips of smoke billowing out of the historic building, followed by Laurel firefighters rushing to extinguish the blaze as it tears through the roof.
Erin is then shown looking up at the destruction as the fire continues to burn. She appears to fight back tears as she covers her mouth with her hand in shock.
A news report at the time of the incident can then be heard playing in the background: “Thankfully there were no injuries during the fire. It was determined that the fire started at the top of the building. Water damage now lies in the lower floors.”
Scenes of the burned roof and water pouring from the ceiling are shown, as Ben says, “To come as far as we have, and then to have something like this… It is devastating.” Erin adds, “It's heartbreaking.”
Ben continues, “For Laurel, this hotel — it means a lot,” followed by Erin chiming in, “For a small town, it's extremely important. And it makes you think, we gotta figure it out. We just gotta figure it out. You gotta keep going.”
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After it was revealed that the roof has been rebuilt since the incident, the episode concludes with a hopeful message: “With deep commitment and community support, the ‘Framily' continues to restore the Heirloom building.”
Erin and Ben Napier on 'Home Town: Inn This Together'
Credit: HBO Max
Fast forward nearly one year after the fire, both Erin and Ben recently shared updates to their Instagram accounts regarding where the hotel now stands. In their posts, they explain that their insurance company has allegedly still not approved their claim, causing setbacks in their rebuilding process.
“Last night's episode was bittersweet. Our friends worked so unbelievably hard, and we have never been more proud to be their friends,” Ben began the caption of his June 1 post shared jointly with his wife. “The fire shocked everyone. It has felt like a death of a loved one in the community.”
He continued, “It has been nearly a year since the fire, and our friends are STILL waiting on @libertymutual to complete the claim. We don't know what the future holds, but we know God holds us. Thanks for watching the biggest thing to happen in downtown Laurel in a long time.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Liberty Mutual for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
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Throughout Home Town: Inn This Together, viewers got to see the married duo team up with Erin's cousin Jim Rasberry, Jim's wife Mallorie and their longtime pal Josh Nowell as they worked to bring the 25,000-square-foot Heirloom Hotel to life in what they deemed their “riskiest” project yet.
The former department store had been vacant for 40 years before the group transformed the space into a boutique hotel with 30 rooms, a lobby, a cooking school and a retail space. It is not currently clear when the hotel is set to open in the aftermath of the fire.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
