Owner vows to 'reopen very soon' after fire
Matt Hudson | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 7 months AGO
<p>Firefighters work to extinguish the roof fire that caused the evacuation of the 406 Bar and Grille in downtown Kalispell Tuesday evening. (Photo courtesy of Mark Christensen)</p>
<p><strong>Firefighters</strong> work to get a hose to the roof of the 406 Bar and Grille after a fire caused the evacuation of the downtown Kalispell restaurant Tuesday evening. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p><strong>Firefighters</strong> responded Tuesday to a roof fire at the 406 Bar and Grille in downtown Kalispell. The restaurant plans to reopen Friday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
The 406 Bar and Grille has closed temporarily after a fire torched the restaurant’s roof Tuesday evening.
Fire crews responded shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday as the fire spread atop the building. The customers and employees inside evacuated without injury.
On Wednesday, restaurant co-owner Lorraine Scotti-Belli was just beginning to sort things out.
“It’s a disaster,” she said.
Red fire department tarps covered much of the front dining area. Standing water from the fire hoses was still present, as well as a musty smell from the day-old fire battle.
Scotti-Belli warned against walking under a large glass skylight that had splintered. To the side of that was a hole in the ceiling.
The 406 Bar and Grille is just over a month old. The restaurant was established at the former site of the North Bay Grille earlier this year.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to Scotti-Belli and Kalispell Fire Chief Dave Dedman.
“We haven’t made any determinations as of yet,” Dedman said Wednesday.
When fire crews arrived, heavy smoke and flames were coming from the building’s roof. Multiple agencies assisted the Kalispell Fire Department, including West Flathead EMS, the Whitefish Fire Department, Evergreen Fire Rescue and the Kalispell Police Department. Utility companies were on site to shut down gas and electric lines.
Extensive roof damage totaled around $50,000, according to a news release from the Kalispell Fire Department, although there was minimal interior damage. Scotti-Belli said that utility service was restored in time to save most of the food in the restaurant.
Dedman said firefighters know that the fire originated on the roof, which had a rubber top sheet for a weatherproof seal. Underneath that was flammable insulation and the wooden structure.
Dedman said that even the insulation can catch fire quickly.
“The roof coverings are very flammable in the right circumstances because everything is made out of a petroleum product,” he said.
Scotti-Belli said she’s working with the insurance company to repair the damage. She’s also waiting for the fire department’s determination of cause.
But she noted that it could have been worse. Firefighters contained the blaze quickly after they were able to get on the roof.
Scotti-Belli said she’s working to get the restaurant back up and running in short order.
“We will reopen very soon,” she said.
Reach reporter Matt Hudson at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.