The fire that destroyed a Rutland landmark has been deemed accidental by the 琉璃神社 Fire Department.

Late in the evening on Tuesday, Oct. 6, Olympia Taverna on Highway 33 went up in flames. A waiter and another staff member were playing cards in the restaurant after closing, when they started to smell smoke, shortly after 10 p.m.

When they opened the restaurant鈥檚 back door, they saw flames burning up to the roof.

According to Paul Johnson, fire prevention officer with the 琉璃神社 Fire Department, the fire was not malicious in nature.

鈥淥ur investigator and the RCMP determined that there was no criminality involved,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t started up in the restaurant鈥檚 mechanical room, up on the second level. We couldn鈥檛 actually access that area, where there was a fan unit, due to safety concerns. But there was no indication that it was suspicious in nature.鈥�

Olympia co-owner Mike Koutsantonis said it was a relief to hear the fire was accidental in nature.

鈥淲e kinda knew - we hoped - that it was accidental and that someone didn鈥檛 light it up on purpose,鈥� he said.

鈥淣ow it鈥檚 just a matter of talking to the insurance company to see where we can move forward on this.鈥�

Koutsantonis said they鈥檝e been thinking about rebuilding and they know for sure they will do that in the future.

鈥淲hat it鈥檚 going to look like, we don鈥檛 know yet. That鈥檚 going to be a little bit down the road.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 just good to know it wasn鈥檛 intentional. It鈥檚 always a good thing no one had bad intentions,鈥� he said.

READ: 鈥業t鈥檚 devastating鈥�: Olympia Taverna owner speaks on restaurant loss