VAY — An oasis of convenience, nourishment and community in a remote portion of Bonner County was severely damaged by fire on Thursday night.

The Vay Mart & HooDoo Creek Café suffered catastrophic interior damage after a fire broke out after the business closed for the night at around 7:30 p.m.

The exterior of the Vay landmark appeared largely intact on Friday, save for boards covering windows and doors, in addition to a center section of metal roof that either collapsed or was destroyed in the blaze.

There were no reports of injuries.

Selkirk Fire Rescue & EMS said on social media that firefighters encountered the structure ablaze and heavy smoke conditions. The Facebook post also noted that heavy winds caused the fire to spread throughout the attic of the structure. More than 20 firefighters from Selkirk Fire and the West Pend Oreille, Sprit Lake, Timberlake and Northside fire district responded.

Selkirk firefighter Jason Cordle said the fire appeared to have started in a kitchen area. “It got in the attic and caused substantial damage,” Cordle said.

There were no indications that the fire was the result of foul play, although the cause of the fire is being investigated by the Idaho State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Preliminary investigation suggests the fire may have been caused by an electrical malfunction, according to fire officials.

Cordle said all of the structure’s exterior walls and some interior walls appeared to survived the fire, although it was not immediately clear if the building could be restored or would have to be replaced with a new structure.

“They could probably go either way,” said Cordle.

Damage estimates were difficult to nail down because the structure has been modified several times over the years. The building began its life as a church and a laundromat before becoming a convenience store and café that served residents in a sparsely populated portion of southwestern Bonner County.

Preliminary estimates indicated at least $150,000 worth of damage was done to the structure and as much as $70,000 worth of contents were destroyed, according to Cordle.

Efforts to reach the store’s co-owner and manager were unsuccessful on Friday.

The business was reportedly insured and locals said they hope the insurance and fire investigations wraps quickly so it can be restored.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.