THUNDER BAY -- After initially deeming a fire at Caesar's Place restaurant as suspicious in nature, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue officials are backing off that claim.
After speaking with the Syndicate Avenue South building's owner, TBFR's Kevin Anderson said it appears renovations to the building may have allowed the fire to spread more rapidly than would normally be expected and that the cause is now listed as undetermined.
Thunder Bay Fire Rescue said they were called to the fire at Caesar's Place about 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, noting smoke could be seen for kilometres, resulting quickly in a second alarm being called.
The three-storey structure was fully involved by the time they arrived, with flames leaping 50 feet into the air.
Initial attack lines and rescue measures were deployed, but it was determined no one was inside the structure at the time as renovations on the property were under way.
Two aerial ladders were used to attack the fire, but it became more stubborn when the roof and third floor caved in, making it tougher to extinguish.
The building sustained heavy damage on the residential side, less on the commercial restaurant side.
The scene continues to be held while the investigation continues.
UPDATE: Thunder Bay Fire Rescue initially called the fire suspicious in nature, but have since labelled it undetermined in nature.
