Crews looking into the 2023 fire at the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge on the Olympic Peninsula could not find what started the blaze.
Olympic National Parks, which operated the Day Lodge, say investigators believe the fire started in the northeast part of the building. The independent investigators also found several potential sources of the fire, but they could not find the specific source.
The investigation found that the fire smoldered for some time and that the long burn time destroyed evidence that could have helped determine the cause.
While it burned, the flames caught other possible sources of fire adding to the difficulty of pinpointing the cause.
The fire was discovered around 4:30 p.m. on May 7, 2023. By then, the building was described as a “total loss.”
Since the fire, Olympic National Parks closed off the Hurricane Ridge area for utilities construction and demolition of the remaining lodge.
The area is currently open from Friday to Sunday until March 31, 2024, for winter recreation and visitors.
©2024 Cox Media Group
