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Panthers get early wake up when fire alarm goes off at hotel

SEATTLE -- The Carolina Panthers got an unexpectedly early wake-up call on Sunday morning when the fire alarm went off at their downtown Seattle hotel prior to their game against the Seahawks.

The Panthers posted a statement on their website saying an alarm "was pulled" around 5:40 a.m. PDT, about 7 1/2 hours prior to kick-off against the Seahawks. The team said players and staff were evacuated from the hotel and by 6 a.m. everyone was given clearance to return to their rooms.

A number of Panthers players tweeted about the alarm. Charles Tillman posted "Whoever pulled the fire alarm on the 16th floor....not cool."

The Panthers (4-0) are trying to reach 5-0 for the second time in franchise history.

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AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL