Graystone Inn fire ruled accidental, building condemned

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The Graystone Inn fire that broke out on Friday, Nov. 14, has been ruled as an accident, according to a release from the Wilmington Fire Department (WFD).

According to WFD officials, the Fire Marshal’s office finished its investigation into the cause of the fire and determined it was ‘accidental in nature.’

The fire reportedly began in the basement due to construction work on the building.

WFD stated that crews arrived at the historic building on Third Street and saw smoke and flames at around 1:40 p.m. on Friday.

“The firefighters quickly went inside to conduct searches and attempt to extinguish the fire, but were unable to contain it due to the size of the fire and the void spaces created by the ongoing construction of the building, allowing the fire to travel from the basement floor to the roof,” WFD representatives wrote in a press release.

WFD officials said that the New Hanover County Building Inspector deemed the building condemned over the weekend.

The fire was contained within a few hours. WFD crews stayed on site to extinguish any remaining hot spots over the following 24 hours.