DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The owner of a popular Des Moines bowling alley that burned to the ground nearly two years ago says he will not rebuild the venue. Randy Thompson, the owner of Plaza Lanes, tells television station KCCI that the land is now up for sale. He says he made that decision after an insurance settlement from the fire failed to cover the cost to rebuild.
The building burned down in December 2017. Investigators determined that kitchen rags self-ignited to start the fire. Spontaneous combustion can occur when heat generated through rapid oxidation causes various materials to catch fire.