Remains of missing man found at scene of Deer Lake motel fire, police say

The RCMP has confirmed human remains were found in the rubble of the Driftwood Innon Wednesday morning.

Police said the remains belong to Eugene Spoon, 77, whowas a guest at the Deer Lake motel. Hehad been missing since the buildingwent up in flames on Saturday.

Spoon's remains were discovered during a search of the scene, according to RCMPmedia relations officer Cpl. Jolene Garland.

"Human remains were located ... inside the hotel, in the fire scene for lack of better words. And those remains have been identified as the man who was reported missing in Deer Lake the same day of the fire," she said.

Spoon was visiting the province from Kansas, according to a missing persons advisorysent by policeafter the fire. Garland said his family has been notified, and police are offering their condolences.

Crews from four western Newfoundland communities fought the fire for more than16 hours on Saturday. It remains unclearhow the fire started, but a police investigation is continuing. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is also engaged.

Garland said there'sno indication as to why Spoon wasn't able to make it out of the motel once the fire began.

Guests staying at the motel questioned the building's fire-detection system when speaking with CBC News on Saturday, saying theydidn't hear fire alarms or sprinklers going off and were instead woken up to bangs on their doors.

WATCH | Four days after a fire, police confirm a man died at the scene:

Man died in weekend hotel fire in Deer Lake, confirm police

17 days ago

Duration 1:13

The ferocious fire at the Driftwood Inn in Deer Lake on Saturday has been confirmed to be a fatal one. Police said Wednesday that the remains of a man from Kansas had been found in the rubble. The CBCs Colleen Connors has the update.

In a video sent to CBC News on Monday, however,alarm bells could be heard from across the street from the hotel.

On Monday, Newfoundland and Labrador's Official Opposition Party called for an "urgent review" into what happened.

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