Future plans for the site of a Kilgore Best Western Inn remain unclear more than five months after an accidental fire gutted the structure.

KILGORE — Future plans for the site of the former Kilgore Best Western Inn remain unclear more than five months after an accidental fire gutted the structure.

The city approved a demolition permit for what remained of the building in late October, and the demolition process began earlier this month. Kilgore LAXMI of Longview owns the property, according to Gregg County Appraisal District records.

To date, according to the city, the only documents filed on the property after the fire are the demolition permit submitted by the land owner.

At this point, it’s unknown how long the demolition work will take for the burned two-story, 42-room structure.

Shortly after the blaze, Kilgore Fire Chief Mark Henderson said the building was a “total loss” from the extensive fire damage.

An investigation determined the cause of the fire to be an accident caused by an air conditioning unit.

“The cause of the fire is accidental and the ignition source was actually an HVAC unit that was located in the room,” Gregg County Fire Marshall Mark Moore said.

The fire took place June 13 and engulfed the Best Western at 1411 U.S. 259.

The blaze was contained and ultimately put out by local first responders, including Kilgore Fire Department, Kilgore Rescue, Sabine Fire and Rescue, Crim’s Chapel, Longview, Overton, Elderville and Smith County ESD 2.

Everyone in the building that night made it out of the hotel unscathed and no firefighters or emergency personnel were injured.