Suspicious fire rips into Lake Country’s Airport Inn

RCMP are investigating a major fire that broke out in the early morning hours today at the notorious Airport Inn Lakeside in Lake Country.

Fire crews were called out at 12:25 a.m. today, Oct 18, and found the north end of the building to be fully engulfed in flames, according to an RCMP media release.

Police were called to the scene and confirmed that all the residents were 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.” Kelowna RCMP spokesperson Const. Lesley Smith said in the news release. “Although this investigation is in its early stages, the circumstances surrounding the fire are being considered suspicious in nature.”

Lake Country council ordered the motel boarded up once all the residents living there were rehoused. Oct. 7 was the deadline set to start boarding up unused parts of the buildings.

It had been shut down as a motel because of numerous bylaw and other violations but rooms were still being rented to longer-term tenants.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lake Country RCMP at 250-766-2288 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or by leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net.

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