A 50-year-old Texas man has been charged with setting the fire that destroyed the Lone Steer Motel in Steele.
Allen Thomas could spend up to 10 years in prison if he's convicted on the arson charge.
Thomas is from Houston. He's being held in the McLean County jail in Washburn. Thomas has a court hearing scheduled Wednesday so a judge can set his bond.
Steele Police Chief David Feland says Thomas is being held in McLean County because the jails in nearby Burleigh and Morton counties were both full.
State authorities and the federal Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the Sunday morning fire. The federal agency estimates the damage at $1.5 million.
No one was reported injured. The fire displaced about two dozen people.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Saturday, May 18 2013 7:01 PM EDT2013-05-18 23:01:07 GMT
A local health care provider says if you're a child and you have to be in the hospital, your stay should be as fun as possible. "Take a big breath. Go. Good job." They're any hospital's smallest
A local health care provider says if you're a child and you have to be in the hospital, your stay should be as fun as possible. "Take a big breath. Go. Good job." They're any hospital's smallest
Saturday, May 18 2013 6:56 PM EDT2013-05-18 22:56:53 GMT
Everyday, around the world, there's a horse race somewhere. Now, a few local bar owners bring the excitement of live betting and today's Preakness to town. Newly-installed kiosks allowed customers
Everyday, around the world, there's a horse race somewhere. Now, a few local bar owners bring the excitement of live betting and today's Preakness to town. Newly-installed kiosks allowed customers
Saturday, May 18 2013 4:11 PM EDT2013-05-18 20:11:54 GMT
Bismarck police ask for your help investigating the whereabouts of a missing person. According to the Bismarck police department, 18-year-old John Swain has not been heard from since last Saturday (May
According to the Bismarck police department, 18-year-old John Swain has not been heard from since last Saturday (May 11th).
Friday, May 17 2013 7:39 PM EDT2013-05-17 23:39:54 GMT
School is just about out for the summer in Bismarck, but construction will continue to be in full swing, building three new schools. Tonight we check in on each school, to see how the progress is coming
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Friday, May 17 2013 6:38 PM EDT2013-05-17 22:38:18 GMT
A full-blown construction boom is underway in Dickinson -- in this week's "Around Town." All the way from Newport News, Virginia, comes Ferguson -- a wholesale plumbing and HVAC supplier serving construction
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Thursday, May 16 2013 11:01 AM EDT2013-05-16 15:01:47 GMT
A 22-year-old Bismarck woman says she woke to find an intruder kneeling by her bed Wednesday morning. The woman says her father and son were sleeping on a couch in the living room and had cracked open
A 22-year-old Bismarck woman says she woke to find an intruder kneeling by her bed Wednesday morning. The woman says her father and son were sleeping on a couch in the living room and had cracked open
Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon Thursday after his invitation to a prayer service inside was withdrawn because of comments that insulted people of other religions. More>>