Mounties have yet to catch the firebug that sparked flames on two floors of the Coast Capri hotel, but they’re sifting through a “mountain of information” to get there.
“Our general investigation section has been hard at work and we will continue to look over surveillance video and talk to witnesses,” said Const. Kris Clark, noting that he’s loath to label the fire an arson, just yet.
“Theres a lot of information. There’s surveillance video and you have to consider there were hundreds of guests of the hotel, and we have to sift through all of them to see if there’s any relevant information. It’s not like a fight in the backyard where there are three people.”
In total, more than 380 guests had to be evacuated from the hotel, from the fire that broke out sometime after 1: 30 a.m. Saturday.
Only one injury to a fire-fighter was reported.
Coast Capri staff have said the damage will cost in excess of $100,000 to repair, and much of it was caused by water used to fight the flames, as well as by the smoke.
The third and fourth floors of the hotel’s tower are expected to re-open later this week and the fifth floor a short time later. The six and seventh floors, where the fires started, will take longer as they sustained the most damage.
