Fire erupted inside the offices of Merger Mines in Coeur d’Alene Friday afternoon.

One person suffered minor smoke inhalation and was treated at the scene after the fire damaged the corporate offices of the mining company on Industrial Loop.

Craig Etherton from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department said a contractor was performing some work on site when he heard a strange sound.

“He was kinda cruising around, doing his thing, when he heard some crackling in the walls,” Etherton said. “He was trying to figure out what, exactly, he was going to do about the crackling when he turned around, and there was a fire.”

The fire was called in at 3:15 p.m. Four engines — three from Coeur d’Alene Fire, one from Kootenai Fire — arrived and promptly extinguished the blaze while medical teams attended to the contractor who escaped the blaze.

“(The contractor) grabbed his dog and bugged out,” Etherton said. “He took a little bit of smoke inhalation. He was treated here by an ambulance from Northern Lakes, but he didn’t need any more assistance beyond that.”

An investigation continues.