Police lay charges in fire that destroyed city hotel

By Al Beeber & Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on April 13, 2023.

Charges have been laid against a city man in the fire that destroyed the vacant Lethbridge Hotel in February.
Lethbridge Police Services say Michael Randall Big Swan, 29, is facing charges of shopbreaking and commit arson. He was remanded into custody and appeared briefly in court Wednesday before he was thrown out.
Big Swan passed out while he was sitting in a courtroom waiting for his matter to be called. When the sheriff woke him, he began causing a disturbance and had to be escorted out. Duty counsel spoke on the accused’s behalf and adjourned the matter to April 26.
Police said in a news release that Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services investigators determined the fire that started in the early hours of Feb. 24 was man-made and suspicious in nature.
This determination was made after an investigation and the remediation of material because of asbestos contamination.
Members of the LPS Property Crimes Unit assumed the investigation and after a suspect was identified, Big Swan was arrested without incident and charged on April 6.
The fire destroyed much of the building and the front facade was demolished soon after out of concern for public and worker safety.
LPS said in its release that the property owner is responsible for any further demolition or restoration work on site. The property remains fenced off but sidewalks and parking in the immediate area are open with the exception of a section on its north side between 4 and 5 Streets.
Police also said because of extensive damage to the historic Bow On Tong building after a fire on Jan. 31 no cause of that blaze has been determined.
A person of interest was identified after a determination that fire was suspicious but insufficient evidence existed to lay charges. Police add there is no evidence of a connection between the two blazes but an investigation could be reopened pending the discovery of new evidence.
The Lethbridge Hotel fire was battled by fire crews in extreme winter conditions with the temperature in the low -40C range when it broke out.
The site of the Lethbridge Hotel has a long history here. The first city hotel here was built there in 1885 by William Henderson who later served as Lethbridge’s mayor. That hotel actually served as a meeting place for council.
The present hotel was long a favourite watering hole of people who patronized a bar which went by various names over the years.

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