I’m just now getting up-to-date on the fire that destroyed the historic Richmond Hill Inn Thursday night/early Friday morning. I don’t have details, but I’ll be headed out to get some photos.
I covered the last big fire to strike the Richmond Hill Inn back in 1995. That fire, in a Richmond Hill addition, was deemed a case of arson and has never been solved. I’m surprised that fire has struck again.
I’ve heard rumors that the place was up for sale; that the place was in bankruptcy, etc. But I have no documentation to that effect. Anybody got any intel?
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I am (was) an employee using an alternate name here, but there are rumors believe to be true.
Facts: foreclosure was just completed 2 days ago
Also, there was a bag of interesting "evidence" found on premises, containing office supplies that would be needed to keep the hotel in business in the other building, the Garden Pavilion. This would suggest that the arson was comitted by someone with financial stake in the business.
007: I think they’re still on the winter season weekend-only schedule.
I really hope this isn’t a case of arson. How disheartening if it is.
I heard that they were already in foreclosure. It is odd that there were no guests in the hotel at the time of the fire. Something is fishy???!!
Murphy, that’s an excellent point. How can a fire get THAT out of control, especially with sprinklers in place?
I’ll ask about cases of arson by year for the past few years. I don’t know firsthand, and I’m trying to think if there’s a state report that would list it. I don’t necessarily trust the Asheville-Buncombe Arson Task Force to give me the correct information, although the agency should know.
it seems very odd to me that the extensive sprinkler system was ineffective, it seems, at stopping this fire.
They were required to have them because of the historic nature of the structure, and the fact that there would be folks spending the night there…
Jason, find out how many arson or suspected arson cases have been reported in 2009, 2008 etc.
Good job here btw.