The heavy damage of the fire hindered the investigation, he added.
“With the structural and roof collapse, you lose a lot of debris you want to evaluate,” Hobbs said.
But the pinpointed location of where the fire began, he said, led officials to believe electrical wiring or a discarded smoking material could have been nearby.
“They had some information suggesting that there may have been people there, but there was no reason to believe there was any criminal activity or any criminal intent,” Hobbs said.
Photos from eyewitnesses who arrived at the fire scene early helped investigators locate where in the building the fire might have started, he added.
“We’re real thankful with people providing early pictures,” he said.
Investigators are still interviewing workers and anyone who could have been at the lodge earlier in the day.
Mad River has already put into place a plan to temporarily replace the main lodge for skiers this winter, said Michael Mihnovets, marketing manager at the ski resort.
“As much of a tragedy it is of it catching on fire, it’s almost like a blessing and it’s going to be a unique aspect for this season,” he said.
The structures will be put in place by the company Sprung, which uses a patented fabric material that is specifically engineered to withstand high wind gusts and shed heavy snow loads, according to the company’s website.
Mad River will erect two buildings made from Sprung on the cement foundation of the old lodge. One will house a food and beverages area with seating for guests and a second will be the bar and entertainment area.
“We’re confident we can pull this off,” Mihnovets said.
The Sprung lodge is temporary for this season and Mad River management does have intentions to build a permanent lodge in the future, he said, but no plans have been discussed.
Mad River Mountain is the largest ski resort in the state. More than 150,000 people normally visit the resort during the ski season, management said.
The park still intends to employ the nearly 500 people it needs to operate the slopes.
The fire that engulfed the lodge early in the evening of Sept. 16 was spotted by a passerby. It was the largest fire Tri Valley Fire District has ever faced, Chief Luann Davis said, with 16 departments and more than 50 pieces of fire equipment battling the flames.
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