By JESSICA SIEFF
Niles Daily Star

EDWARDSBURG – Those driving through Edwardsburg Tuesday afternoon would have found it hard to miss the crews working to tarp the roof of the former Legends Bar and Grill, covering its charred ruins in blue and boarding up gaping holes in the structure.

It was in October 2009 that authorities ruled the fire that destroyed the popular restaurant was caused by arson.

And though little information has been made available since, the investigation is certainly ongoing and authorities are still looking into who or what was responsible or the fire that started in the early morning hours of Oct. 26.

Many early reports questioned the role of the restaurant’s owner Troy Treat in the fire. Treat is the owner of T & R Investments.

Jim Kalka Jr., a partner at Claims Professional Representatives, LLC, who said he is working with treat on the claim for the incident, told the Star he did not believe Treat could have been responsible for the fire based on a lack of motive.

But outside the restaurant Tuesday, one unidentified worker said the building was being tarped and boarded up at the request of the insurance agency, pending further investigation and with the intent to protect the interior of the building for that investigation.

Det. Fabian Suarez of the Michigan State Police said investigators are getting help from the state attorney general’s office in Grand Rapids with their investigation of the fire, but was unable to give any additional information.

Also on the scene at Legends was a van from the company Shad Forensic Investigations.