Restoration work at Northpoint Exotic Dance Club in Marinette County was completed roughly a week ago. The club sustained extensive damage after a fire in January, which authorities suspect to be arson. (Photo courtesy of Northpoint's Facebook page)

MARINETTE COUNTY — Authorities investigating a January fire at the Northpoint Exotic Dance Club in the Town of Grover, Wis., say the person of interest in the suspected arson case — who was a volunteer firefighter — is deceased.

Marinette County Dispatch received a report of a structure fire at approximately 12:32 a.m. Jan. 8 at the club, located at N2085 Vernon Hills Drive in the Town of Grover. It was reported that flames were coming from the back of the building.

Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control, and all occupants safely evacuated without injury, according to a press release.

Club owner Billie Ransom said about 12 people, including a bartender, were inside the business at the time of the fire while the club hosted a pool league event attended by regular patrons.

“(The patrons) actually took fire extinguishers outside and tried to put a hose on it until the fire department got here,” Ransom said.

A volunteer firefighter who authorities identified as a person of interest in the Northpoint fire died roughly one month after the blaze in January, according to officials. (Photo courtesy of Northpoint’s Facebook page)

Ransom and her husband, David Nichols, have owned Northpoint for approximately 35 years. While the business employed few staff members at the time of the fire, Ransom said the club regularly works with 30 to 40 dancers who perform as independent contractors.

Det. Mike Nickels of the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office said investigators, working alongside the Wisconsin Department of Justice, determined the fire was suspicious in nature after reviewing evidence. Nickels said investigators believe the fire was intentionally set.

According to Det. Nickels, the sheriff’s office identified a current volunteer firefighter as a person of interest in the investigation but declined to specify which department the individual served with.

Authorities later learned the person of interest died approximately a month after the fire.

Despite that development, Det. Nickels said the investigation is considered open.

“So with these cases, we do close the case on our end, but they are considered open,” he said. “If we get further information, or new leads or anything like that, it’s something that we always follow up on when more information is found.”

Ransom said smoke damage throughout the building forced extensive restoration work despite the structure itself largely remaining intact.

“It’s a block building, thank goodness,” she said. “Otherwise, it would have been a total loss.”

According to Ransom, crews eventually removed much of the interior down to the block walls after smoke odors became apparent throughout the club during cleanup and repainting efforts.

“It started out being like a small area, and then it got bigger and kept on getting bigger and bigger,” Ransom said.

What followed was a months-long restoration process marked by emotional highs and lows, Ransom said.

“It’s been very emotional,” Ransom added. “Very much of a roller coaster. One minute we’re like, ‘Well, okay, let’s look at the positive. We’re going to have a new bar.’ But then it’s like, ‘Wow, how did this happen to us? Why?'”

Ransom said restoration work was completed roughly a week ago, and she hopes to reopen the business within the next 45 days, though inspections and additional work could extend the timeline.

‘We’re kind of coming up with a new model of ‘Ashes to a-es,'” she said. “All of our independent contractors, all of our girls, we’re like a family here.”

Det. Nickels said the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office is awaiting reports from the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

“Unless it’s 100% (certain), the case is never really closed,” the detective said. “But this is something if we get further information, or other leads from somebody, that we will continue to look into.”

The Grover-Porterfield Fire Department responded to the scene along with deputies from the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office and an officer from the Peshtigo Police Department.

Assistance was also provided by members of the Town of Peshtigo Fire Department, Town of Lake Fire Department, Town of Pound Fire Department, Aurora – Bay Area Rescue and the Wisconsin Public Service.