MASHANTUCKET, Conn. -- A small fire was anything but as fire officials called for seven alarms at the Great Cedar Hotel at Foxwoods Resort and Casino on Tuesday.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Kevin Hogan reported the fire started just before noon and continued to burn inside the walls at the hotel through the early afternoon. White smoke emanated from the roof line as firefighters sprayed water onto the fire.

Video: Foxwoods Evacuates Hotel Smoothly During Fire

"They just had fire showing through the roof and they have active fire in the walls," Old Mystic Fire Chief Kenneth Richards Jr. said.

One responder was taken to William Backus Hospital in Norwich with shortness of breath.

Firefighters evacuated the sixth, seventh and eighth floors of the hotel, as well as the concourse area near one of the casinos. Officials at the scene have described the process as calm.

"Foxwoods evacuated the three top floors of the hotel as a precaution. Nobody was injured in the evacuation or the fire. I don't have an estimate of the number of people, although, for three floors, that's less than half of the hotel," tribal spokesman Arthur Henick said.

"They just came on (the public address system) and said, 'Please, just leave, but you can go to the other casinos,'" a witness said.

Hogan reported fire officials called in every fire department in the surrounding region to help fight the fire, saying 16 fire companies from throughout southeast Connecticut responded to the scene, led by the Mashantucket Tribal Fire Co.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Leon Collins reported almost 200 guests in the massive casino complex had to be evacuated. Some took pictures using their cell phones while standing outside the 150-foot-tall structure, which was built in 1993.

"When I saw the flames, ... you didn't know they got the people out in time," said Debbie Muenzner, a witness. "Then, they had the water. ... They couldn't reach it when I first stepped out."

Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames later in the afternoon. Authorities continued to investigate a cause late into the evening, and three fire companies left the scene at about 9:30 p.m.

Authorities brought in a crane to get to the top of the roof in an effort to get inside the wall to ensure the fire is completely out. Collins reported authorities used heavy machinery to peel back and cut sections of the roof to cool the building. Authorities used infrared cameras to scan for hot spots as they searched for a cause.

Based on a preliminary investigation, authorities believe the fire started in ninth floor mechanical room above a VIP lounge on the eighth floor.

About 40 to 60 guests were moved to the Bellissimo Grande hotel at Foxwoods' expense.