Thursday, July 17, 2025
66.0°F

Furniture production business 90 percent destroyed in blaze

Brian Walker | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 12 years, 5 months AGO
by Brian Walker
| January 30, 2013 8:00 PM

BLANCHARD - A fire destroyed the production building of a furniture-making business between Spirit Lake and Blanchard on Tuesday.

Wayne Nowacki, fire marshal for Spirit Lake Fire, estimated the loss of the 3,000-square foot Luck EG Post and Rail building at 90 percent.

"It could be up to a half-million-dollar loss," Nowacki said. "It's an old building, but it's going to cost to replace it. There was also about 15,000 board feet of lumber and commercial-grade machinery such as sanders and saws. It wasn't junk."

The cause and point of origin have not been determined and are under investigation. There were no injuries.

The company's office building, which is separate from the production area, was spared.

The fire was reported at 11:40 a.m. Responders, which also included Northern Lakes and Timberlake, cleared the scene at 4:45 p.m.

"With that kind of facility, there's lots of possibilities (as to the cause)," Nowacki said. "Until we dig in, it would only be a guess."

Employees were reportedly on their lunch break when the fire was reported.

Spirit Lake Fire Chief John DeBernardi said the wooden structure with steel beams was about 50 percent involved when fire crews arrived.

The site was formerly used to manufacture posts and poles.

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Fire destroys Blanchard building
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 12 years, 5 months ago
Disaster averted
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 10 years ago
Fire destroys Clagstone home
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 16 years ago

ARTICLES BY BRIAN WALKER

Two arrests made in heroin trafficking case
November 27, 2018 5:56 p.m.

Two arrests made in heroin trafficking case

POST FALLS — Two Shoshone County men were arrested in a heroin trafficking case during a traffic stop on Interstate 90 at Post Falls last week.

Ingraham charged with first-degree murder
January 15, 2016 2 a.m.

Ingraham charged with first-degree murder

The 20-year-old nephew of a Post Falls man found dead in Boundary County in September has been charged with first-degree murder of his uncle.

January 20, 2013 6 a.m.

Is arming teachers a good idea or over-reaction?

No movement in region to go that route to enhance school safety

While the idea of arming teachers, as a means to increase school safety, is catching on in some areas, there’s no such momentum in Kootenai County.