Arson suspected in Thanksgiving fire

basement at Los Primos

Arson is suspected in a fire that caused minor damage to the basement of the Los Primos restaurant on Main Street in Mountain Home on Thanksgiving Day.

The fire was reported at 3:55 p.m. by people who noticed smoke coming from the basement while they were setting up for a party at the restaurant's first-floor meeting room.

"If they hadn't (called), we probably would have wound up losing that whole block," Fire Chief Phil Gridley said. "Everything was closed that day. Nobody else would have noticed."

The investigation is continuing with the Mountain Home Police Department, but no employees or owners of the building are suspected in the case.

Authorities have identified several suspects and expect to make arrests in the case soon.