Fire at Lake Country hotel likely deliberately set, investigators say
Credit to Author: Lora Grindlay| Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2019 19:56:26 +0000
LAKE COUNTRY — A fire overnight at the controversial Airport Inn in Lake Country appears to have been deliberately set, police say.
The north end of the building went up in flames just after midnight.
RCMP confirmed that a number of tenants residing at the inn were all accounted for and no one was injured.
“Lake Country RCMP have since secured the property as the fire department and RCMP fire investigators continue to examine the scene in order to determine the cause of the fire.” said RCMP Const. Lesley Smith “Although this investigation is in it’s early stages, the circumstances surrounding the fire are being considered suspicious in nature.”
The Airport Inn has been ordered closed down after Lake Country refused to re-issue a business licence to the motel.
In August, the municipality ordered the motel owner Raif Fleihan to shut the place down in 45 days. Fleihan’s appeal for an extension of the shutdown order was rejected earlier this month.
Town officials say there have been building code violations and issues of non-compliance with municipal bylaws concerning the property over the years.
Police are looking for witnesses. Call the Lake Country RCMP at 250-766-2288 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.