Downtown fire caught on camera

Footage of a fire that burned six businesses in downtown Coeur d’Alene early Monday morning has been released.

The University of Idaho weather station above the Innovation Den in downtown Coeur d’Alene captured footage of the fire, from the time it started until well into daylight.

A time-lapse of the fire—and the efforts of emergency responders—can be viewed on the University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene Facebook page.

The camera typically faces south toward the lake, but a wind storm knocked it a different direction last month.

There were no injuries in the blaze that was reported by a passerby around 1:30 a.m. and destroyed several businesses. Cole Taylor Salon, Schmidty’s Burgers, Heart City Tattoo, 720 Haberdashery and Farmer’s Insurance were irreparably damaged, fire officials said.

The fire started in the ceiling, likely above the Cole Taylor Salon at 200 N. Fourth St., and burned into the roof lines of surrounding businesses, Fire Chief Kenny Gabriel said.

Six businesses were affected, according to the department. Firefighters were able to safely move art from the Emerge gallery, which was only nominally affected by the flames because a firewall separated the nonprofit gallery from the adjoining businesses, fire inspector Craig Etherton said.

“That fire wall did its job,” Etherton said.

Etherton said fire inspectors will begin their detective work today, looking for the fire’s cause.