Owner of Historic Resort Charged With Arson After Fire

The owner of a historic ski resort in Wisconsin has been charged with arson in connection with a 2024 fire that devastated the property.

Bryce Campbell, the 41-year-old owner of the Lutsen Resort on the North Shore of
Wisconsin, has also been charged with insurance fraud following an investigation into a serious fire at the venue.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the State Fire Marshal say that Campbell was arrested on Wednesday in Southfield, Michigan. He's been held there in jail and will be extradited to Minnesota.

The fire began just after midnight on February 6, 2024 and the night auditor of the resort's lodge called 911. During the response to that call, authorities say the night auditor told them that he tried to contact Campbell, and that he had to tell Campbell's husband about the fire instead.

Campbell Was Notified About The Fire For Hours

Documents indicate that the night auditor attempted to call Campbell dozens of times, with the owner finally calling him back at 3:14 AM - hours after the fire started. Authorities also noted that at the time of the fire, Lutsen Resort was in debt to approximately 80 entities.

The fire marshal is still unsure of exactly how the fire began, but noted that residue was found that tested similarly to fire accelerant.

The marshal's investigation showed that the fire started in the lodge's basement, and the night auditor reported that Campbell told him he went into the basement to turn on the water heater's gas valve.

Just weeks before the fire, a small section of piping had been replaced in the basement because a pipe burst and a substance called glycol leaked.

Campbell's phone records showed several web searches related to glycol, including “can water leak into glycol through the heater exchange."

Campbell Has Also Been Charged With Insurance Fraud

Campbell filed an insurance claim for $16,565,901 in October of 2024, nearly a year after the fire. According to investigators, several code violations were noted in the summer of 2023, including sprinkler issues, problems with the fire alarms, smoke alarms and fire exit signs.

"The Historic Lutsen Lodge has been taken by a devastating fire this evening," the resort said on its Facebook page directly after the fire. "A total loss to the lodge building…. Fires in 1949, 1951 and 2024. The amazing memories made here are in our hearts as we begin the heavy-weighted process to rebuild back better."

Officially, Campbell has been charged with three counts of arson and one count of insurance fraud.