Friday, January 31, 2025
30.0°F

Fire destroys Sandpoint building

CAROLINE LOBSINGER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 11 months AGO
by CAROLINE LOBSINGER
I grew up in the Tri-Cities, Wash., and have always loved to write. I attended the University of Washington, where I earned a double major in journalism and political science, with an area of emphasis in history. I am the fifth out of six kids — don't believe any of the stories that my siblings tell. To be able to tell others stories and take photos for a living is a dream come true — and I considered myself blessed to be a community journalist. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, hiking and spending time outdoors, genealogy, reading, and watching the UW Huskies and the Seattle Seahawks. I am a servant to my cat, Frankie, who yes, will eat anything and everything in sight … even wedding cookies. | February 24, 2023 1:00 AM

SANDPOINT — Fueled by wind gusts, a fire in the early morning hours Thursday quickly spread through a commercial structure on the north side of town and resulted in a total loss of the building.

When Selkirk Fire crews responded to the report of the commercial structure fire at Wes Olson Trucking, 1424 Baldy Mountain Road, heavy smoke was showing from the roof, Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said in a press release.

Selkirk Fire is a shared fire services collaboration of the city of Sandpoint, Westside and Sagle fire districts. Backup assistance was requested and received from Northside Fire, West Pend Oreille Fire and Bonner County EMS.

Fueled by strong wind gusts, the rapidly progressing fire prevented crews from entering the building and ultimately resulted in a total loss of the building, Stapleton said. However, fire crews successfully contained the fire to Wes Olson Trucking building, preventing the fire from spreading to four buildings in close proximity.

“Our crews did an amazing job in these conditions,” Fire Chief Gavin Gilcrease said. “At one point, the windchill with the strong gusts was at -21 degrees.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Idaho State Fire Marshal.

The last time a fire struck the city’s business district was on Feb. 11, 2019, when a fire was reported in the heart of the city’s historic downtown and prompted an all-out response from firefighters from Selkirk Fire Rescue & EMS and fire district throughout Bonner County and part of Kootenai County.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they found smoke emanating from the roof and fire consuming the interior as snow and 11-degree temperatures challenged the fire crews. Firefighters inside the building encountered cramped conditions, vintage construction, and years of remodeling.

After three hours of battling the blaze, the crews were forced to resort to defensive measures after concerns arose about the stability of the century-old structures. A third building housing Grace Sandpoint Church and Grace Sandpoint Bible College sustained heavy smoke and water damage. In total, five businesses were lost to the blaze — The Hound, Headlines Salon, Sandpoint Tattoo and Body Piercing, The Chocolate Bear and China Kitchen.

Investigators concluded the fire started in the basement of 204 N. First, between the lower-level ceiling and the first-level floor, fire marshal’s officials said a few months after the fire.

The building that burned, which began its life as a saloon space during the city’s wilder, turn-of-the-century days, has been home to a laundry list of businesses over the course of its lifetime. They include The Floor Show, Conlan’s bar, The Back Door bar, and Bricks & Barley just to name a few.

MORE FRONT-PAGE-SLIDER STORIES

Fire guts downtown Sandpoint businesses
Bonners Ferry Herald | Updated 5 years, 11 months ago
Fire guts downtown buildings
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 5 years, 11 months ago
Fire’s first anniversary bring promise of future
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 4 years, 11 months ago

ARTICLES BY CAROLINE LOBSINGER

USPS relocating Ponderay post office
January 31, 2025 1 a.m.

USPS relocating Ponderay post office

The U.S. Postal Service has announced it plans to move the Ponderay post office, currently located at 296 Fourth St., to the old Horizon Credit Union, 480 Bonner Mall Way. The new location is about a mile away from the current post office.

LEAP project nets workforce housing grant
January 29, 2025 1 a.m.

LEAP project nets workforce housing grant

A Priest River affordable housing project has received a $30,000 grant from a regional credit union and its partners. Working with partners, STCU helped secure nearly $200,000 in late 2024 for critically needed workforce housing projects in Spokane County and North Idaho. Among them is LEAP Housing, which received a $30,000 grant for The Village at River View Ridge, a six-unit workforce housing project in western Bonner County.

Hearing continued in fatal crash case
January 25, 2025 1 a.m.

Hearing continued in fatal crash case

An arraignment hearing involving a Boundary County man charged in connection with a fatal crash on Highway 95 has been postponed until next month.