Employees May Have Clues To Fire At Jake’s

Thu., Feb. 12, 1998

By Mike Prager mikeprager15@gmail.com (509) 459-5454

The case of the fire that charred Jake’s Steak Pit in Medical Lake two months ago still hasn’t been solved.

But Police Chief Christopher Elg said he believes he knows who might have some answers.

Elg is seeking to interview a former employee of the restaurant for information about what might have started the blaze in an upper story storage area.

The employee and a friend of the employee have been asked to sit down for interviews, but they have not done so yet.

Elg said there is no reason to believe the fire was criminal. It appears to have been caused accidentally, he said.

Initially, Medical Lake authorities asked for help from Spokane fire investigators because they feared the possibility of arson.

The fire gutted the upper floor and severely damaged the main restaurant and bar on the first floor.

Owner Mary Alderman did not have insurance for the business, so investigators ruled out the possibility the fire was set to collect on an insurance policy, Elg said.

The fire was reported by an employee at 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 14.

, DataTimes

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