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Arson Investigators Looking Into Explosion That Leveled Motorcycle Clubhouse

DETROIT (WWJ) - An explosion that leveled a motorcycle clubhouse in Detroit is now being considered suspicious.

Arson investigators were on the scene Thursday at the intersection of Dexter Avenue and Webb Street, on the city's west side.

Detroit firefighters smelled gas immediately following the explosion, at around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, and tentatively gave the cause as a gas leak. However, Pete Ternes of DTE Energy now says: "We determined when we came out to the fire that there was no gas feeding into the fire, so it was determined that it was not natural gas related."

Deputy Detroit Fire Commissioner Dave Fornell told WWJ's Sandra McNeill that he's not ruling out anything just yet, as they still have a lot of poking around to do.

"We have to actually have to take the roof off. They had an emergency purchase order, went out today a demolition contractor. The contractor got there at 2 o'clock, our investigators are back out there now," Fornell said. "So they're starting to peel the roof back to see what we can find; to see if we can see exactly what happened."

He expects they'll be on the scene all night.

"We have a combination fire and police arson unit and so they're out there now," Fornell said, at around 5 p.m. "They're be interviewing people; but, again, they're looking at cause and origin right now."

The building housed the Detroit chapter of the Street Royalty Motorcycle Club — a national organization "dedicated to fun," according to their website.

When the structure collapsed, it sent debris flying into the parking lot of a neighboring auto shop. Several cars in the lot were damaged, but no one was hurt.

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