VIDEO OF FIRE BY TMTV ON YOUTUBE: Silver Ledge Hotel Fire Ainsworth BC

Nelson's local radio BKR reports that the man accused of burning down the old Silver Ledge Hotel in Ainsworth BC has been found not guilty in Nelson court.

Judge Ron fabbro has found the Crown did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that 54 year old Randy Hanoski lit the fire that burned down the old building early in the morning of June 3rd 2010.

During last year's trial the prosecution presented a witness claiming to have seen someone looking like Hanoski leave the scene around the time of the blaze but the judge found that inconclusive.

He also found utterances that Hanoski made to arresting poilice officers such as “ I got drunk then I got angry”  did not point to a clear admission of guilt. Hanoski had watched the fire burn from as close a 60 yards away but did not come forward to help locals douse the flames .

An investigation by the fire department did not prove where the blaze started nor if Hanoski had come into contact with any accelerants.

The Crown focused much on Hanoski's failed relationship with the woman he’d planned to renovate the hotel with but the judge questioned his motivation to burn it down given he was still a 50-50 owner of the site.