By Lindsey Kroskob
The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The fire that destroyed the historic Hitching Post Inn last week was intentionally set, authorities say.
Cheyenne Fire and Rescue responded early Wednesday to the hotel at 1700 W. Lincolnway to find flames spurting through the roof of the front lobby. It burned throughout the night and was deemed under control early Thursday.
On Monday, special agent in charge Douglas Dawson said the investigation and examination of the crime scene concluded Sunday.
However, the local office of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will work with Cheyenne fire and police investigators to track down suspects.
Samples from the building have been sent to a lab in California. Those include areas that were positively identified as containing with accelerant by detection canines.
“The presence of these items and through the investigative analysis of the scene and the fire burn patterns, we are very confident that that was an intentionally set fire,” Dawson said.
He was reluctant to say where the fire started or whether the building’s owners, CJM Hospitality, were being cooperative because the investigation is still ongoing.
Cheyenne police Sgt. Rob Dafoe said, “We will look to try to prosecute the suspect/suspects that were involved with the cause of this heinous crime. Without a doubt there is still a lot of work to be done.”
Dafoe said finding the origin of the fire in arson cases is usually easier than finding the person responsible.
Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen said the city will issue a letter of condemnation to the building’s owners. That will require them to begin the clean-up process and fence off the area.
Kaysen said insurance representatives for the property have begun the process.
City officials closed the Hitching Post in September 2009, citing numerous safety concerns and code violations.
CJM Hospitality bought the property from New Jersey-based Mantiff Cheyenne Hospitality in June in the wake of Mantiff filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February.
The 10.82 acre property was appraised for more than $6 million Jan. 1.
CJM Hospitality officials said they were putting in $500,000 worth of renovations. They said they had planned to reopen the west side of the building and two unattached structures in the coming weeks.
Copyright 2010 Cheyenne Newspapers, Inc.