Camas Hotel manager arrested in alleged arson

The manager of the Camas Hotel was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly intentionally set fire to the building as part of an attempted insurance fraud scheme, according to Camas police.

Won Dong A. Lee Kim, 30, of Camas, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree arson and booked into the Clark County Jail, police said.

Crews with the Camas-Washougal Fire Department were dispatched at 9:10 a.m. to a possible fire at the hotel, 405 N.E. Fourth Ave. A hotel guest reported to 911 that a smoke alarm was sounding in a third-floor guest room, and smelled smoke, according to a police department news release.

The guest put out the small blaze with a fire extinguisher. The damage was minimal, police said, and contained to the unoccupied room.

There were 15 guests and one employee in the hotel at the time.

During their investigation, fire officials noted evidence that the blaze was intentionally set and turned the case over to police.

Following further investigation, police determined that Lee Kim “set the fire in attempt of financial gain and attempted insurance fraud,” the news release says.