Destructive fire at Rennie Hotel deliberately set, RCMP say

A fire that destroyed a hotel in a small southeastern Manitoba community last week was deliberately set, RCMP say.

On Thursday morning, flames consumed the Rennie Hotel, one of the few businesses that remained in the community, as well as the post office connected to the building.

On Monday, Manitoba RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre confirmed to CBC News that RCMP are investigating the fire as arson.

He said he wouldn't provide information about possible suspectsand wouldn't say if any arrests have been made at this time in order to not jeopardize the investigation.

Last week, Blaine Webster, a councillor in the rural municipality of Reynolds, told CBC News the hotel had been closed for two months before the fire.

The hotel's owners also operate a gas station across the street in the community about100 kilometres east of Winnipeg, but it too has been closed for more than a month, Webster said.

Without the hotel and post office, there's little left in terms of businesses in the town of about 100 people, and the town is basically closed down, Webster said.