Early Saturday Morning Structure Fire At Glen Arbor’s LeBear Now Contained

BREAKING: Glen Lake Fire Department (GLFD) crews battled a large structure fire this morning at LeBear Luxury Residential Club & Spa with many mutual aid units on scene.

GLFD Fire Chief Bryan Ferguson confirms to the Leelanau Ticker that the fire is now out, with “pretty severe fire damage to two of the fourteen resident units and water damage.”

Ferguson says the first GLFD crews were dispatched to the resort and residence club on Sleeping Bear Bay — 5705 Lake Street, Glen Arbor — at 4:30am Saturday.

“When our crews first arrived, there were 15-foot flames on the lake side, out of the roof,” he says.

“LeBear was fully occupied, with all occupants safely evacuated. There were no injuries to any citizens or firefighters.”

He notes that GLFD had support from several fire departments in Leelanau, Grand Traverse and Benzie counties. “Cedar Area Fire & Rescue, Leland, Grand Traverse Metro, Traverse City Fire Department, Almira, Long Lake, Leland, Grand Traverse Band, Green Lake…I hope I’m not forgetting any.”

Ferguson says the restaurant Blu on the property was not directly affected by the blaze. However, power to the facility is now shut off and “as partial power cannot be restored, right now it is basically TBD when the entire facility can be opened back up.”

The resort’s fourteen private residences are fractionally owned with some used for short-term vacation rentals. Ferguson says LeBear’s condo management team was onsite to aid displaced residents and guests.

The source of the fire is under investigation.

Update, 5pm May 15: On Saturday afternoon Randy Chamberlain, Chef/Co-Owner at Blu — which is attached to LeBear — shared the following statement on Facebook: “Blu was not affected by fire or water damage but we are closed indefinitely until our utilities are restored. 

This comes obviously at the worst possible time; last night we had our busiest day since reopening in April. The optimism of the pandemic waning, our staff was building with some fabulous people who have been through so much...we all feel broke but we'll be back.

Thank you to all the emergency crews and their efforts to contain and save this building. Thanks to Tim [Barr] and his staff at Art's Tavern for lending us cold storgae space and all the other restaurants and friends in our town that have reached out to help.”

Photos: Left, the fire upon arrival of GLFD, courtesy Glen Lake’s fire chief; Right, LeBear Luxury Residential Club & Spa