RAPID RIVER, Mich. (WZMQ) – Police are investigating a reported arson attack at the Rapid River Pub in Delta County.
Owner Tom Szocinski says it was approximately 12:35 a.m. on Monday when he received an urgent call from the pub.
“My manager let me know that there was a fire at the pub,” he said. “We had witnesses outside, and it appeared to be some sort of cocktail bomb that went off. Reviewing the cameras, the pub did shake, and we do have an explosion here in the back alley. Accelerants have been found in the back area.”
Staff and customers reacted quickly, using a fire extinguisher to put out most of the blaze. First responders then arrived and fully extinguished the flames.
“As you can probably see from some of the damage, the fire did go through some of our crevices,” Szocinski told WZMQ 19. “The fire department had to be very thorough to make sure—obviously, with this old of a building—that we had the fire completely out.”
Thankfully, no one was harmed in the attack.
“Praise God that everybody here was safe,” Szocinski said. “I mean, a building can be replaced; a soul can’t.”
According to Szocinski, a Michigan State Police Fire Investigation team is looking into the attack. They are also searching for a suspect.
“They are just asking the public to give any type of witness if they’ve seen a 30-something-year-old man in a dark blue shirt,” said Szocinski. “He was—at the time—wearing gloves, and he’s about six-feet-two.”
Although Szocinski had hoped to open the restaurant to customers on Monday, the pub needs a professional cleaning before it can fully reopen. A fellow local business, The Brisket Barn, offered to serve food by the pub’s new outdoor addition from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. so the community can still come together and show its support.
In times like these, Szocinski says that is the most important thing to do.
“The community’s already been just amazing,” he said. “I woke up after only two hours of sleep to 68 messages about, ‘How can we help you?’ That’s why I love this place. I moved home to show people we love each other. This is going to happen sometimes, but we’ll be okay. Even just the moral support has been huge, so I can’t ask for anything else.”
WZMQ 19 will continue to follow the investigation into the arson attack as it unfolds.
