Coastal Point • File Photo : Investigators have ruled the fire that gutted Pomeroy’s to have been intentionally set.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s office announced on Aug. 4 that the July 27 blaze that gutted Pomeroy’s Tavern was arson.
The Selbyville bar and package store has stood for 90 years near the state line on North Dupont Boulevard, built just after Route 113 was laid.
As the law-enforcement agency for all fires, Fire Marshal’s Office investigators have since determined that the blaze was intentionally started. A criminal investigation is ongoing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the fire, officials said.
Owner Lynn Pomeroy said his grandparents built the log cabin-style tavern in 1924, using cypress trees from the Great Cypress Swamp. The two-story building had undergone renovations for nearly a year, with the final permits pending, and drywall ready for the hanging.
A passing motorist called the fire in. Pomeroy said that when police awoke his family at home, the fire was already spreading quickly.
The Selbyville Volunteer Fire Company and three other fire companies responded at 5 a.m., with six secondary stations and five more on standby.
Anyone with information regarding the arson is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers do not have to reveal their identity.