Six years ago on Feb. 9, 2014, fire blazed through a mixed-use building in downtown Mount Prospect, destroying Japanese restaurant Sakura and several apartment units. The case remains open and undetermined today, according to Fire Chief Brian Lambel and Police Chief John Koziol.
Neither Lambel of Koziol were chiefs at the time of the fire; however, both said that no one has come forward with any leads since they’ve taken on the new roles. Cases where there isn’t enough evidence to pinpoint a cause can sometimes stay open forever.
“Arson doesn’t have a statute of limitations,” Koziol said.
Luckily, there were no fatalities or injuries reported due to the fire six years ago; however, the building was damaged to the point of being inhabitable. According to a previous Journal article, the fire marshal’s report classified the fire as “a man-made act” in nature, “with the ignition of ordinary combustibles, with the heat source being that of an open flame.”
The building, 105 S. Main St., was torn down and the site has remained empty since. Director of Community Development Bill Cooney said there aren’t any updates about the land where the building once stood. “We have seen a few draft proposals, but nothing official to date… This is a high priority parcel that we hope to move forward this year,” Cooney said.
If anyone has any information about the fire that took place on Feb. 9, 2014 in downtown Mount Prospect, call Mount Prospect police at the department’s general front desk phone number.
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