Man and woman charged with arson in massive Cape restaurant fire

Crime

The November blaze took hours to control.

Two people face arson charges in connection with the fire that destroyed the iconic Anthony’s Cummaquid Inn and restaurant last November.

According to the Department of Fire Services, Yarmouth and State Police arrested Jacob Ladner, 22, and Isabella Medeiros, 18, on Monday.

Prosecutors are charging the two with burning a building, breaking and entering in the daytime with intent to commit a felony, wanton destruction of property over $1,200, and trespassing. Ladner and Medeiros were set to be arraigned in Barnstable District Court.

The Yarmouth fire and police departments responded to Route 6A on the evening of Nov. 3 following multiple 911 calls. They found a heavy fire on arrival at the vacant Anthony’s Cummaquid Inn. The building was unoccupied, and no utilities delivered power to it.

With assistance from Barnstable, Brewster, Dennis, and Hyannis mutual aid companies, Yarmouth firefighters battled the wind-fed blaze through the night and into the following day. During those operations, nearly the entire building collapsed.

Yarmouth Fire Chief Enrique Arrascue said firefighters were fighting the fire for over 10 hours.

“We were extremely fortunate that no one was seriously injured,” he said in a statement. “Fire is dangerous, destructive, and unpredictable. This intentionally set fire put first responders, the public, and the perpetrators themselves in danger.”

The Yarmouth Fire Department, Yarmouth police detectives, and State Police fire investigators investigated the cause of the fire. Collectively, they determined that someone had intentionally set the fire.

“These arrests were the result of painstaking work by Yarmouth Police detectives and State Police fire investigators with the support and assistance of the Yarmouth Fire Department,” Yarmouth Police Chief Kevin Lennon said in a statement. “I want to thank the community and our residents for their patience as this process unfolded.”