Investigators suspect arson in Gaylord fire

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

GAYLORD -- Investigators in Gaylord said Tuesday that the fire that claimed one of that town's largest businesses was arson.

The fire was discovered by a Gaylord police officer early Sunday morning. Firefighters from seven surrounding towns including Gaylord were able to get the fire under control within 13 hours.

Gaylord Police Chief Dale Roiger said investigators think the fire is suspicious because of information and pieces of evidence discovered showed that things "were not kosher."

The fire claimed one of three buildings at Unidoor Corp., a company that makes doors, early Sunday morning.

The plant employs about 60 people, all of whom showed up for work on Monday. The plant's owners said they don't expect to cut any of their workers and hope to have the 45,000-square foot warehouse replaced within six months.

Roiger said the blaze was the largest fire in Gaylord in 30 years. Damages are expected to be in the millions.

"This is large," he said Tuesday evening. "This is big. I've been here for three years but our fire chief said he doesn't recall a fire this big in 30 years."

So far, investigators know that the fire started in southeast corner of the warehouse and spread throughout the building. How it started is still an unanswered question. The amount of water that was used to extinguish the fire may have washed away whatever chemicals were used to accelerate the fire. The heavy construction equipment used during the clearing of the rubble may have also damaged clues, said Roiger.

"We were unable to get any clues from the burned portion of the building," he said. "But other parts yielded clues."

He said investigators also interviewed a few of the firefighters who were at the scene of the blaze Sunday morning. Information from those interviews, combined with the recovered evidence in the unburned portions of the warehouse, gave investigators cause to think the fire was started deliberately.

Roiger declined to comment further on the evidence, saying he wants to wait until more information comes to light. He said there is currently no suspect in case.

"If that fire had burned the other two buildings, you would've have 60 people unemployed," he said. "Fortunately, those people had a place to go to work."

Co-owner Mike Campbell said the company will stay in business and will operate at about 60 percent capacity until the warehouse is replaced.

A $2,500 reward is being offered to anyone who gives information that leads to a successful conviction in the Unidoor case.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to either call 1-800-723-2020 or (507) 237-2265.