The venerable Keno City Hotel was reduced to smoking rubble Friday evening after a devastating fire.
The hotel, which was first built in the 1920s, according to owner Leo Martel, caught fire early Friday evening.
Martel, who told the Star this morning he was still in shock, was having dinner with friends, including longtime resident Mike Mancini, at Mancini’s nearby restaurant when the fire was detected.
“We spotted a bunch of smoke coming from around the hotel,” Martel said. “The roofline was on fire.”
He and other residents rushed to the scene to see what could be done.
They began trying to move vehicles parked on-site, but some were frozen into the ground or wouldn’t start in the cold weather, making it more difficult.
Devastating overnight fire destroys iconic hotel in Keno City, Yukon
The Keno City Hotel in Keno City, Yukon, an important local landmark, was destroyed in a fire Friday night.
Social Sharing A loss that s going to be felt for many years and by many people, says friend of hotel s owner
CBC News ·
Posted: Dec 12, 2020 10:40 AM CT | Last Updated: December 12, 2020
The Keno City Hotel in Keno City, Yukon, was destroyed by fire Friday night.(Kevin O Hara/Facebook)
The Keno City Hotel, an iconic local landmark and gathering place in the small community of Keno City, Yukon, was destroyed overnight in a fire, local sources confirm.