Newport Fire Department and mutual aid responded around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday to a full involved structure fire at 479 Bellevue Avenue, “Stonor Lodge”. No injuries were reported but the $3 million property was a total loss.

Our Coverage: Photos & Info – 3-Alarm Fire Engulfs Stonor Lodge on Bellevue Avenue

The owner of Kirby Perkins Construction, the construction company that was working on Stonor Lodge, told Adam Bagni from NBC 10 that he was told gas heaters might be the cause. However, authorities insist it’s too early to say.

Read The Full Story From NBC 10: Construction owner: Gas heaters may have caused Newport mansion fire

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...