Authorities were investigating whether someone died in a structure fire at a roofing business Tuesday morning in Kalispell.  

Kalispell Fire Department was dispatched at 9:49 a.m. to the structure fire off Fenn Way. Crews could see the column of smoke from the fire station, according to Training Captain Joe Hansen.  

While en route, Kalispell Fire crews were informed there may be a victim inside the burning metal barn, prompting two additional medical units to respond, Hansen said. 

"We got reports from bystanders here that the person did not make it out, and we're still trying to confirm that," Hansen said.    

Because of the intensity of the blaze, crews doused the flames from outside the building and could not immediately enter to search for victims due to the possibility of the building collapsing, Hansen said.   

Crews continued to work late Tuesday morning to cool down the building before entering, according to Kalispell Fire Chief Jay Hagen.  

The Kalispell Police Department and the Flathead County Sheriff's Office were working to identify the possible victim based on witness accounts, Hansen said.  

Neu-Tech Roofing operates out of the building at 125 Fenn Way, according to the business's website.   

A white pickup truck parked in front of the barn was left blackened from the fire. 

When crews first arrived at the scene, the fire had already spread throughout the structure, but the brunt of the flames appeared at the front facing the Kalispell Bypass, according to Hansen.  

Bystander David Harter, 59, was driving by Peterson Elementary School when he saw the plume of black smoke. 

"Once I saw the smoke, I stepped on the gas," Harter said.  

He arrived a little before 10 a.m. to watch the blaze from the Black Angus Casino parking lot. He said he saw the structure's metal roof gradually sink into the building, but saw no explosions.  

By around 10:20 a.m., the roof had completely fallen through as gray smoke continued to pour from the opening. Two garage bay doors at the front of the building collapsed.  

An Evergreen Fire Rescue ladder truck extended over the building to douse the scattered flames from above.  

By 11:15 a.m., a Kalispell Fire Department ladder truck assisted with extinguishing flames at the back of the structure.  

Because the property lies outside Kalispell city limits, Hagen said he'd eventually hand over the investigation to the Smith Valley Fire Department.  

Kalispell, Smith Valley, Evergreen, Whitefish and South Kalispell fire departments responded to the scene, according to Hansen.  

Burrows Cabinetry Plus operates out of a red building next door. Hansen said the building was spared from the flames.  

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Detective Division is partnering with Smith Valley Fire and Flathead County Fire Investigation Team to determine the cause and origin of the fire, according to an afternoon announcement from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.

    Firefighters work at the scene of a structure fire at Neu-Tech Roofing in Kalispell on Tuesday, July 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Evergreen Fire and Rescue Captain James Boyce sprays water onto a structure fire at Neu-Tech Roofing in Kalispell from atop Ladder 841's aerial ladder on Tuesday, July 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Smoke billows from a structure fire at Neu-Tech Roofing in Kalispell on Tuesday, July 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Firefighters work at the scene of a structure fire at Neu-Tech Roofing in Kalispell on Tuesday, July 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Evergreen Fire and Rescue Captain James Boyce sprays water onto a structure fire at Neu-Tech Roofing in Kalispell from atop Ladder 841's aerial ladder on Tuesday, July 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider