Both foul play and arson have been ruled out as potential causes of a blaze on New Year’s Eve that destroyed a popular restaurant in Lyon Township.

No one was injured in the fire at the Lyon Cantina on Pontiac Trail and 9 Mile Road but it was deemed a total loss and the building had to be razed due to flare-ups. The Lyon Township Fire Department was assisted on scene by half a dozen other departments and the investigation was turned over to the Oakland County Fire Investigation Unit per protocol.

Captain Christopher Wundrach with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response and Preparedness Division told the South Lyon Herald it appeared the fire started in an office and spread. However since the roof caved in, he noted it’s going to be a lot tougher to determine an exact cause. The cause has officially been labeled “unclassified” and the investigation is considered closed. It was initially believed the fire may have started in the kitchen, which was next to the office. Any further investigation will be left up to the insurance company. Photo: Glenn Kivell. (JM)