OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine - The four-alarm fire that destroyed an empty Old Orchard Beach motel has been ruled arson.
Sgt. Joel Davis, a state fire investigator, said Wednesday night that the Americana Motel was unoccupied and had no electrical service.
There are no suspects in the case.
The fire was reported by a tenant at a neighboring condominium complex around 9 p.m. Tuesday and it took 80 firefighters about three hours to extinguish it.
There was no one inside the building, but several firefighters suffered minor injuries.
Local businessman and former state representative George Kerr said he bought the two-story building several months ago. He wanted to tear it down and expand his parking lot next door. He said he donated all the furnishings to charity.