Ice Cream Oasis fire under investigation

Firefighters responded to two separate fires at same location

By Lisa Satayut
Editor | editor@roscommonherald-news.com
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HOUGHTON LAKE—The fire that engulfed the local summer hot spot, Ice Cream Oasis, is still under investigation.

Arson has not been ruled out at this time.

The Michigan State Fire Marshal is currently investigating the blaze to the Houghton Lake business and so far, “It’s suspicious,” Roscommon County Sheriff Randy Stevenson said.

“It’s under investigation, we’re waiting for the fire marshal to go through the debris and make a determination,” he said.

Firefighters were dispatched to the Houghton Lake business Saturday Oct. 17 around 6 p.m. to extinguish the fire. Upon arrival, Markey Township Fire Department Captain Nate Stearns said there was visible smoke coming from the back of the building. He said the fire had been completely extinguished three hours later.

Around 6 a.m. Sunday, firefighters were called back to the ice cream shop to extinguish another blaze. The cause of the second fire is unknown. Stearns said that it is always possible that the original fire rekindled, but has doubts in this case. Stevenson said the second fire originated from a different spot than the original.

“It wasn’t in the same place,” Stevenson said.

He said the incident became suspicious after the second fire. Due to the investigation, officials are not releasing the cause of the original fire.

Firefighters put the second fire out at 8:22 a.m. Stearns said.

The charred business is owned by William Spearman but was being run by his son.

There was no one in the building at the time of the fire and no injuries.

The Markey Township Fire Department, Denton Township Fire Department and Gerrish Township Fire Department were on scene.