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Kissimmee extended-stay hotel reopens two months after arson

Almost two months after a Kissimmee motel went up in flames displacing families right before Christmas, it is open for business again.

Many of the people who were living there before the fire found other homes.

It re-opened late Tuesday, and so far, business is slow.

Only one person has moved back in and the business had one other guest.

Owners hope things will get back to normal soon.

The fire tore through the Unno Boutique Hotel in Kissimmee two days before Christmas.

Dozens of firefighters battled the flames for hours.

Nobody was injured, but about 250 people who lived at the extended-stay hotel were forced to evacuate and find another place to live.

That included families with young children.

"It's been challenging. It's been two months. A lot of things have been going on,” said the front desk manager, Michelle Young. “But they're doing great. And the goal was to get them in their permanent homes and they are."

The state fire marshal determined the blaze was a case of arson. A person of interest was named in the case, but no arrests have been made.

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Before re-opening, management had to upgrade the building that survived the fire to bring it up to code.

"The alarms, the exit signs, the stairs, everything had to be upgraded,” Young said.

Most of the business at the Unno Boutique Hotel is at the restaurant near the lobby, which remained open while the hotel was closed.

Many of the people who were living there before the fire have found other places to live, but management is hoping they will return.

Fifty-eight rooms are available.