DeLand’s historic Hotel Putnam’s future uncertain after fire
"I'm hoping the structure is still sound and that anything that happened to it can be remedied," Rashad said.
He said he has insurance on the building, but hadn't spoken with the company.
A few dozen firefighters responded to the property at
While Rashad is confident in the structural soundness of the building, made mostly of concrete and steel, he was disappointed at the thought of someone purposefully setting the building aflame.
"Police and the fire marshal have told me that people break into the building all the time," Rashad said. "I am sad, I don't know why somebody would do something like this to a historic landmark in the city."
DeLand Fire Chief
He said the investigation by the State Fire Marshal likely will take several days.
While no signs of arson had been found Monday, Hanes said the fire is considered suspicious because "it didn't just start on its own" and there was no lightning strike.
Hanes said DeLand firefighters, with help from crews with
He said there were concerns about the stability of the structure, so firefighters didn't enter the building to battle the blaze.
"The fire had such a big headway on us before we even got set up," Hanes said.
No one was injured in the fire and responders didn't find anyone else inside, Hanes said.
It's been nearly a century since the current structure was built.
A hotel was first built at the site in 1880 by
The hotel was then sold by DeLand, the city's founder, to
It had a couple more proprietors before it was destroyed by a fire in 1921.
A year or two later a new structure, lauded as
There were more ownership changes, and in 2009 the property ended up in the hands of
DeLand resident
"A lot of stories are in that building," said Lakeway, who worked as a dishwasher at the hotel in the 1980s.
Like others have said before, Lakeway would like to see the hotel refurbished and brought back to its original glory.
"I hope they don't give up," Lakeway, 57, said of the new owners. "It brings character to DeLand."
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