Fire destroys business, knocks out internet and phone lines in Kalispell
MATT BALDWIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 8 months AGO
Emergency crews responded to the scene of a commercial structure fire on Sixth Avenue West in Kalispell early Tuesday morning. (Ken Varga photo)
Kalispell Fire Department firefighters and fire chief Dan Pearce stand at the scene of an early-morning fire in a commercial structure along West Center Street in Kalispell on Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
A utility crew at the scene of an early-morning fire in a commercial structure along West Center Street in Kalispell on Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
A Kalispell Fire Department firefighter sprays a hot spot at the scene of an early-morning fire in a commercial structure along West Center Street in Kalispell on Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Hagadone Media Montana REGIONAL MANAGING EDITOR Matt Baldwin is the regional editor for Hagadone Media Montana, where he helps guide coverage across eight newspapers throughout Northwest Montana. Under his leadership, the Daily Inter Lake received the Montana Newspaper Association’s Sam Gilluly Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. A graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism, Baldwin has called Montana home for nearly 30 years. He and his wife, Sadie, have three daughters. He can be reached at 406‑758‑4447 or [email protected]. IMPACT: Baldwin’s work helps ensure Northwest Montana residents stay connected to their communities and informed about the issues that shape their everyday lives. | December 15, 2024 11:00 PM
A woodworking business near downtown Kalispell was destroyed in a fire early Tuesday morning that knocked out power and communication lines in the area.
The metal building on Sixth Avenue West and Center Street was fully engulfed in flames when crews with the Kalispell Fire Department arrived at 2:45 a.m. Firefighters remained on the scene through the morning, working to douse hot spots, according to Fire Chief Dan Pearce.
No one was inside the building when the blaze took off.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The building was deemed a total loss, Pearce said.
Flathead Electric Co-op workers were able to restore power in the neighborhood by the morning, however phone and fiber optic lines remained down. Pearce said damaged phone lines in the area could take a week to repair.
Firefighters from Whitefish, Evergreen and Smith Valley assisted on the incident.
Earlier in the day a home on Fourth Avenue East was damaged when a fire started in the attic at around 9:30 a.m.
The cause of the blaze was suspected to be electrical. The home suffered approximately $222,000 in damage and is not occupiable, Pearce said.
Kalispell Fire Department firefighters and fire chief Dan Pearce stand at the scene of an early-morning fire in a commercial structure along West Center Street in Kalispell on Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
A utility crew at the scene of an early-morning fire in a commercial structure along West Center Street in Kalispell on Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
A Kalispell Fire Department firefighter sprays a hot spot at the scene of an early-morning fire in a commercial structure along West Center Street in Kalispell on Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
ARTICLES BY MATT BALDWIN
PHOTOS: Whitefish dedicates 9/11 Memorial
A crowd gathers for the dedication ceremony of the 9/11 Memorial at the Whitefish Emergency Services Center on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Retired Fire Department New York Lt. Kevin Shea was the keynote speaker.
Glacier closes alpine section of Sun Road as flood warning is issued
Forecasts for flooding and heavy rainfall prompted Glacier National Park to issue a preemptive closure of the alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun Road on Sunday evening.
Deer Creek Fire near Happy's Inn ruled human-caused
Officials on Friday determined the Deer Creek Fire north of Happy's Inn was human-caused, but details remain under investigation.