Arson behind nightclub fire, officials say

Investigators believe that arson caused a fire at an unoccupied nightclub on New Bern Avenue late Saturday afternoon.

Firefighters said they faced a brush fire that had extended into Black Tie nightclub, 3201 New Bern Ave., at 4:14 p.m. Twelve firefighters brought the fire under control in a little more than 10 minutes.

The fire damaged about 5 percent of the building, said Lt. T. Wilson, with the Raleigh Fire Department. No one was injured.

Wilson said authorities do not yet have a suspect in the arson.

The shooting death of Tyrone Robert Covington, 28, of Durham, at Black Tie in June 2007 prompted city officials to toughen nightclub ordinances. Police received more than 400 calls from near the club between January 2006 and June 2007.